With more inflows, Karnataka's 14 major reservoirs better placed this year

Hubballi: Fourteen major reservoirs of Karnataka, which are critical for meeting irrigation, drinking water needs and power production, have more water this year compared to last year, when the situation was precarious due to erratic rainfall and drought.

The only blip in the picture is the Tungabhadra reservoir, the fourth largest reservoir in the state, which has only 13 per cent of its water capacity. 

An analysis of inflow shows that as of July 6, these reservoirs received 293.85 tmc ft of water. The total storage capacity of the state's reservoirs is 895.62 tmc ft. Last year, on the same day, these 14 reservoirs had 178.06 tmc ft of water. 

Reservoirs in the Cauvery basin fare better compared to those in the Krishna Basin. For example, Harangi is 62 per cent full, Hemavathi (46 per cent) and KRS (48 per cent). Kabini is fast reaching full storage, having stored 91% of its total capacity.

In Krishna Basin, Bhadra is 29 per cent full, Tungabhadra (13 per cent), Ghataprabha (30 per cent), Malaprabha (23 per cent), Almatti (44 per cent) and Narayanapura (64 per cent).

The three hydel reservoirs — Linganamakki (22 per cent), Supa (27 per cent) and Varahi (19 per cent) — have stored only 24 per cent of their total storage capacity.

But officials in the Energy Department are not worried. They are hopeful that in the coming days, the reservoirs will store sufficient water for the production of power.

Good rainfall in the catchment area of Krishna River has meant that nearly 62,073 cusecs of water is flowing into Almatti Reservoir. This is the highest inflow that any reservoir in the state is receiving at the moment.

Heavy rains in Kerala have led to good inflows into the Kabini reservoir, which has 17.83 tmc ft of water of its total capacity of 19.52 tmc ft. Last year, on the same day, it had only 6.15 tmc ft of water.

The KRS, which supplies drinking water for a major portion of the Old Mysuru region and Bengaluru city, has 23.52 tmc ft of water as against its full capacity of 49.45 tmc ft.

Hidkal dam across the Ghataprabha River and the Renuka Sagar reservoir at Navilutirtha near Savadati are getting a steady inflow of water as their catchment areas in the Western Ghats of Karnataka and Maharashtra are getting copious rain in the last four days.

Speaking to DH, Energy Department Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta, who also holds the additional charge of the Water Resources Department, said compared to last year, this year the state is better placed.

“We are hopeful that reservoirs will fill to their capacity in the coming days. Last year, which was a very bad year, with less stored water, we managed both water and power supply efficiently. This year rainfall predictions are said to be normal. We are optimistic that rains would progressively become better and we’d be able to effectively manage the situation this year too,” he said.