Central Water Commission to start audit of Godavari water

RAJAHMUNDRY: Central Water Commission (CWC) will start water audit in Godavari river and its tributaries Gautami, Vasishta, Pamuleru and Sileru during the monsoon season in June to help find out inflow and discharge of water from them in real time. The CWC has already set up hydrological observation units at Kanuru Agraharam on Vasishta river, at Vadapalli on Gautami river, at Valamuru on Pamuleru river and at Kothapalli on Sileru river. At present, it is measuring only inflow of water into these rivers. The CWC is procuring navigation equipment to be installed at hydrological observation units in order to gauge the discharge of water from these rivers in real time.

The CWC authorities maintained that gauging water inflow and discharge in rivers will help them know the quantum of water available in a river at a given time. This quantum of water varies from time to time in these rivers. The officials said that the water gauging equipment, installed at strategic locations in the rivers, will help them get data in real time at periodical intervals and that this data can be used by the government for making a policy for river water usage and sharing based on need. The CWC had already set up telemetry stations along the Godavari river course at Chintur, Kunavaram and at Athreyapuram/Vadapalli and they are functional, generating data on the quantum of water inflow.

The authorities are also setting up a water gauging unit at Polavaram to find out the outflow of water. This facility is meant to find out any flood threat to the islands located on the Godavari river downstream. Some people live on these islands, by setting up make shift unauthorised structures, and eke out their livelihood by fishing and cultivation of some crops. The state government is planning to promote tourism on islands in a big way by setting up amusement facilities and one more island called Pitchukalanka is going to be developed as a major tourist hub, involving international players.

Due to all this, the forecast of water outflow from Polavaram towards Dowleswaram is very essential. The forecast will help authorities to initiate safety measures by evacuating the people or tourists when necessary. The CWC is also setting up a telemetry station to gauge the water levels in Godavari river at Athreyapuram to give flood forecast to the government and to help it initiate safety measures, to evacuate the people living downstream the river course on islands when the river will witness floods. CWC senior divisional engineer B.N.V Satyanarayana said that they will start water audit in Godavari and other rivers by gauging water inflow and outflow at select points, from June. “This data will be of immense utility to the government to optimise the usage of water for varied purposes like drinking, irrigation and others,” he said.