Ministry assures Dhap Dam safety after water release lowers level post-landslide

The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation announced that Dhap Dam in Kathmandu’s Gokarneshwar Municipality-1 remains structurally sound despite recent concerns triggered by intense monsoon rainfall. A landslide near Saddle Dam-1 on September 9 led to the controlled release of about 400 litres of water per second, reducing the reservoir’s level by 2.38 metres to 2,084.80 metres, which represents roughly 35 % of its capacity.

The Nagmati and Dhap Dam Project, under the Department of Irrigation, affirmed that the dam and its ancillary structures are safe and that the spillway will automatically discharge excess water if levels exceed the normal 2,087.14 metres. Ongoing technical assessments, embankment protection, and emergency management actions continue, with officials seeing no immediate risk. They urged the public not to panic and to rely solely on official information as rainfall declines.