SAMBALPUR: The first spell of flood waters received by Hirakud dam from upstream was released from sluice gate no. 6 this morning. This was followed by opening of gates 7 and 8 even as the inflow of water was 1,60,966 cusecs in the morning. The three sluice gates discharged 45,000 cusecs of water every second and two more gates 9 and 10 were opened later in the evening. Maintaining that water will be released till the water level in the dam comes down to around 610 feet, Superintendent Engineer of Hirakud dam circle Janaka Ballav Mohapatra said while the water level at the dam was 614.28 feet when the gates were opened in the morning, it was 615.50 feet at 6 pm. He said that although there were no reports of rain upstream, yet the inflow of water was 1,55,504 cusecs against a outflow of 76,331 cusecs through the gates, power house, canals and other sources.