On Monday, the water level of the Yamuna river in Delhi has crossed the danger mark according to the national media.

All the 18 gates of Hathnikund barrage in Haryana are being opened for the first time this monsoon season, which has led to the release of water from Wazirabad and Hathnikund barrage into the Yamuna river. Authorities attribute this release of water every hour to the rising water level of Yamuna in Delhi.

On August 19, Yamuna river in Delhi is expected to reach 206 m, above the danger mark at 205.33 m. Following this estimate, an advisory has been issued by the Central Water Commission on Sunday.

“In view of the quantity of water released from Hathnikund barrage today, 17th August, and heavy rainfall in the Upper Yamuna area, it is informed that the water level at Delhi Railway Bridge may cross 206.00 around 02 AM on 19 August 2025,” says the advisory.

While the danger mark for river Yamuna is 205.33 m, evacuation of people starts at 206 m, particularly from the low areas near the river. However, announcements in these regions are regularly being made to encourage people to evacuate and move to higher grounds.

The old railway bridge over Yamuna in Delhi is an observation point for tracking the river’s flow and potential risk in the capital city. The Central Water Commission has asked all concerned authorities to take precautionary measures to handle the flood situation, if it occurs.

“The reason for the increase in level is mostly due to the high volume of water released from the Wazirabad and Hathnikund barrage every hour,” said a senior official from the flood control room to the national media. According to the flood control department, the Hathnikund barrage is releasing around 1,27,030 cusecs of water while Wazirabad is releasing around 45,620 cusecs of water every hour. This is the highest in the entire monsoon season. All the water released from the barrage typically takes 48 to 50 hours to reach Delhi.

Delhi-Haryana Water Problem

To keep a check on any unforeseen situation, the Delhi government, 2 month ago, decided to formally approach the Haryana government once again, seeking control of the ITO barrage. The structure can help in managing Yamuna’s flow through the city.

The ITO barrage was used during the flooding crisis in the capital city in 2023, when jammed gates at the ITO barrage — under Haryana government jurisdiction — were blamed for worsening the situation. During that time, over 25,000 people were displaced.

The barrage remains a politically sensitive site. While the Delhi government controls the Wazirabad barrage, and Uttar Pradesh manages the Okhla barrage, the ITO barrage is under the Haryana government and has been a source of friction for many years between the two states.