More of inflows to major irrigation projects

ANANTAPUR: Major irrigation projects got inflows of more than 100tmc-ft water during the present rainy season than last year’s. Projects of Krishna and Pennar basins, with heavy rain and floods in the region in July, will have more water during the ongoing South West monsoon season.

The current storage was 596.65tmc-ft with 68.93 per cent fill in the present season, while storage in the major projects was only 495.54tmf-ft with 57.25 per cent fill. This is against the gross storage capacity of 865.64tmf-ft in the reservoirs.

Srisailam, the second biggest hydro project in the country, reached the FRL level the third time in the past 12 years. The dam gates could not be lifted during July as the dam gets maximum water in August, the peak rainy season.

Only after Almatti and Tungabhadra reached the maximum gross storage levels would the outflows reach Srisailam.

On Sunday, the TB dam recorded 100.86tmc-ft of water with FRL, the first time in 38 years. However, the dam authorities reduced the outflows into the river in view of less inflows from upstream parts. The inflows were 26,46 cusecs following an outflow of 26,832 cusecs into the river. TB dam secretary Naga Mohan said the dam is maintaining full storage and is discharging outflows similar to the inflows.

Another major project, Almatti, reduced outflows to 6000 cusecs with only 26000 cusecs of inflow. The dam was still filled with 78.35 per cent and 101.63tmc-ft of water. The dam's gross storage capacity was 129.72tmc-ft and released outflows of more than a lakh cusecs the last week.

The Narayanpur dam was maintained with 34.12tmc-ft of the 37.64tmc-ft FRL and discharging 6000 cusecs of outflows downstream.

On Sunday, Srisailam reservoir touched 201tmc-ft of water of 215.61tmc-ft of FRL with 1.36 lakh cusecs of inflows followed by 1.12 lakh cusecs of outflows towards Nagarjuna Sagar. Water was released towards Handri Neeva Sujala Shravanthi at Malyala and Srisailam Right Branch Canal (SRBC). Anantapur district border areas are likely to get Krishna water through the HNSS main canal in a day’s time.

Nagarjuna Sagar receives inflows of 58,417 cusecs from upstream parts. At present, a water storage of 192tmc-ft as against a gross storage of 542tmc-ft was registered.

Krishna basin got 439.47tmc-ft while 344tmc-ft was available as against a total yield of 586tmc-ft during last year. Similarly, Pennar basin was also having an effective storage of 134tmc-ft as against 238.75tmc-ft gross capacity in the present season.

The medium irrigation projects under Pennar basin were receiving heavy flows in addition to arrival of Krishna water from Srisailam foreshore through GNSS and storage points like Gandikota and Chitravati Balancing Reservoirs in Rayalaseema.