Vijayawada: The AP reservoirs are yet to get sufficient inflows due to lack of rainfall in the catchment areas of major rivers that feed them.
The state is experiencing the worst scenario of highest temperatures and lowest rainfall in August this year, compared to the previous years since 1901.
As per data available with the AP water resources information and management system on Tuesday, the current storage of water in all major and medium reservoirs was 415.21tmc-ft (42.22%) against last year’s 852.2tmc-ft (86.65%) out of the gross capacity at full reservoir level of 983.49tmc-ft of water.
Major reservoir Srisailam has its water level at 81.28tmc-ft (37.66%) against the gross capacity of 215.81tmc-ft, Nagarjuna Sagar has 156.67tmc-ft (50.21%) against 312.05tmc-ft, Pulichinthala has 21.84tmc-ft (47.73%) against 45.77tmc-ft, Prakasam and Sir Arthur Cotton barrages have water storage at 100% at 3.07tmc-ft and 2.93tmc-ft respectively as they do not having any major storage facility.
The Yeleru reservoir has 8.41tmc-ft (34.88%) against 24.11tmc-ft, the Tandava reservoir has 1.84tmc-ft (37.08%) against 4.96tmc-ft, the Pampa reservoir has 0.09tmc-ft (21.04%) against 0.42tmc-ft and the Somasila has 18.72tmc-ft (24.01%) against 78tmc-ft.
So was the case with several reservoirs in the state due to insufficient inflows.
AP water resources engineer-in-chief Narayana Reddy said, “There is no heavy rainfall in the catchment areas in Maharashtra and Karnataka. We are using the available water to meet the drinking water needs of the people on priority followed by water for irrigation and industries.”
Meanwhile, a look at the rainfall trends in AP from June 1 to Sept. 5 showed an actual rainfall of 293.58mm against the normal rainfall of 439.9mm with a deviation of minus 33.28%.
Out of 26 districts, 18 registered deficit rainfall while six registered normal rainfall. Only two districts -- Guntur and Bapatla -- registered excess rainfall.
Districts that registered deficit rainfall are: West Godavari, East Godavari, Prakasam, Nellore, Chittoor, Anantapur, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Anakapalli, Annamayya, Eluru, Kakinada, Nandyala, NTR, Palnadu, Sri Satya Sai, Tirupati, Konaseema and Kadapa.
Districts like Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Krishna, Kurnool and Parvathipuram Manyam recorded normal rainfall.
