Poor storage level in dams

ANANTAPUR: The prediction of timely arrival of Southwest Monsoon showers in the Western Ghats of Karnataka has raised the hopes for inflow of adequate water to River Tungabhadra during the current season.

But it is likely to take more time to reach the downstream projects till Srisailam. For, the situation in the projects of Krishna basin appears worse based on an assessment of the previous 10 years’ average.

The worst storage recorded in 10 years for Tungabhadra dam and other connecting major irrigation projects was in June second week. Though the average yield was 1.21tmc-ft in the past ten years and 3.11tmc-ft during last year, the worse situation was reported on Monday with a yield of only 0.65 in the TB dam.

Inflows were 2160 cusecs during last year while it was confined to only 449 cusecs this time. The reservoir capacity was at 40.35tmc-ft last year while at present it was only 5.02tmc-ft of dead storage. This, though the 10-year average storage in the dam was 8.79tmc-ft.

Irrigation and drinking water sources of AP purely depend on rainfall as also inflows from upstream parts of Western Ghats and surrounding parts of Krishna basin in Karnataka.

Official sources said this was a worse condition, with poor storage and inflows on June 12 because of the delay in the Southwest monsoon. Monsoons entered the Western Ghats a couple of days ago and inflows are to reach the Tungabhadra dram, from where the outflows from the river would reach upto the Srisailam reserovoir, a major source of AP and Telangana states.

In addition, Srisailam will receive water for upstream project Almatti from Karnataka. On Monday, Almatti dam reported no inflows and was having only 21.15tmc-ft with 16.30 pc storage capacity as against the gross water capacity of 129.72tmc-ft.

Only after Almatti reservoir gets full water capacity from upstream Krishna river would the connecting Jurala, Narayanapur and other projects get filled and water reach Srisailam.

The Krishna basin and its projects have at present 235.78tmc-ft while it had 258.32tmc-ft on the same day last year, as against the total capacity of 589.67tmc-ft. Srisailam reservoir has a current storage of 33.7tmc-ft with only 15.62 pc as against gross capacity of 215.81tmc-ft.

However, Nagarjunasagar continued with constant outflows of 5,953 cusecs for meeting the region’s agriculture and drinking water needs.

Downstream parts of Karnataka and Rayalaseeama may take more time to get the reservoirs filled, irrigation experts said.