Worst Storage Situation in 10 Years for AP Irrigation Projects Due to Less Rainfall
Anatapur: Major irrigation projects faced the worst situation in 10 years this season with levels of storage remaining low after the Southwest Monsoon lashed the state for the past three weeks. So also with the Krishna basin projects.
Major reservoirs Srisailam and Tungabhadra and the connecting projects have been witnessing poor storage so far this time.
Tungabhadra reservoir, an interstate project, a major source for AP, Karnataka and parts of Telangana, has been witnessing dry conditions with only 4.20tmc of dead storage in the reservoir as against the full storage capacity of 100.86tmc-ft.
Last year, TB dam had 43.63tmc-ft of water with 5949 cusecs inflows. This time, it got only 367 cusecs of inflows from upstream parts and from local sources.
TB dam normally has sources from Western Ghats during the southwest monsoon but the monsoon’s forward course was stuck without movement for the past three weeks.
Senior official from TB dam told DC, “We have released water to internal canals of the reservoir in June last, but have been witnessing dreadful conditions now.”
The entire river bed of Tungabhadra at Hampi, Raichur, Mantralayam and Kurnool has been in a deserted condition during the peak rainy season. Farmer Gopal from TB dam area told DC that, last year, they took up cultivation in early June but the scorching sun and rain-deficit couldn't encourage them to do farming so far this time.
The reservoirs including interstate have recorded a deficit of 65tmc-ft compared to last year, on June 21. All sources from major projects have a total capacity of 983.49tmc-ft and only 400.95tmc-ft was available at present, with dead storage levels, compared to last year’s sources of 465.64tmc-ft. Krishna basin had 258.56tmc-ft storage last year and is now having only 233.44tmc-ft.
The Srisailam dam has ‘0’ inflows following rain deficit and the water level is recorded at 808ft with only 33.42tmc-ft. However, 1600 cusecs of outflows are realised downstream. Nagarjuna Sagar that was maintained with the 520ft level has 149.28tmc-ft with inflows of 3052 cusecs and 5170 cusecs of outflows.
Irrigation expert Sharma observed the major sources of Almatti and TB dam were in worse conditions this time. Almatti dam has only 129.72tmc-ft capacity with 20.51tmc-ft water with just 15.81pc capacity.
