Karnataka: Rising KRS dam water level brings smile on farmers’ faces

Mysuru: A good spell of rain in recent weeks has helped increase water levels in the reservoirs in the Cauvery catchment area to some extent.

As per met forecasts, south interior Karnataka will receive light rainfall and it will help improve water levels to some extent. While water for irrigation in the Cauvery catchment area will be released for the next 60 days, there will not be water for summer crops. But there will not be any drinking water shortage, sources at KRS told Deccan Chronicle.

The water level at Krishna Raja Sagar dam which had risen to the maximum of 111 feet during this period this year, had dropped to 102 feet due to the deficient south western monsoon and when the water was released for Irrigation to the neighbouring state (Tamil Nadu). Currently due to good rainfall, the water level has risen again to 111 feet. On Monday the water level at KRS was 110.67 feet and the inflow was 3089 cusecs while the outflow was 2249 cusecs. Last year on the same day water level at KRS was 121.81 feet.

The state has released as much as 129.63 tmc of water to Tamil Nadu, as per the notification of the final order of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal, according to highly placed sources in the Water Resources department.

According to senior meteorologist and scientist, and Head of the Department Agro Meteorology, GKVK Dr M.B. Rajegowda, south interior Karnataka including Cauvery catchment area will receive light rainfall, which will help agriculture and the water levels at reservoirs too will improve to some extent. But north interior Karnataka will receive scattered rainfall. Although it will not help in improving dam levels in those parts it will definitely help agriculture in the area. Coastal Karnataka will also receive light rainfall, he informed.

Water level at Kabini as on November 20 was 2269.09 feet as against its capacity of 2284 feet. The inflow was 753 cusecs and outflow was 200 cusecs. At Harangi it was 2795.16 feet as against the maximum of 2854.79 feet. At Hemavathi the water level was 2875.44 cusecs as against its capacity of 2922 feet, the inflow was 864 cusecs and outflow was 200 cusecs.

 
 

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