The water level of the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir located in Mandya district, Karnataka that spans across river Cauvery breached the 100 ft mark against the maximum level of 124.80 feet on July 5th.
On July 5th at 8 am, water level was at 100.30 feet and inflow rate stood at 9,686 cusecs while previous year’s water level was hovering around 78.4 ft on this date. Exactly a week before (on June 28), the reservoir level was hovering at 90.28 ft.
Prior to this rise in reservoir levels, there were heavy rains in some parts of Kodagu district including Bhagamandala which is one of the catchments for river Cauvery and has witnessed its first flooding last week that recorded about twenty-four hours rainfall up to two hundred and eleven millimeters. This aided to increased inflow into KRS with a jump of ten feet over seven days.
Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Limited (CNNL) officials said that till it reaches the mark of one hundred feet fast increase in water level will be noticeable. However, from there onwards as backwater widens out it will keep rising progressively slowly.
Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Limited authorities informed us that until it attains a height of one hundred feet, there shall be a remarkable increase in water volume at KRS but beyond that limit; backwaters and thus raise will taper off progressively slower.
Following which Kabini dam located at H.D.Kote taluk in Mysuru district has almost got filled by heavy rains upstream from Kerala Wayanad regions recently. The present water level stands now at 2,281.5 ft against its maximum capacity of 2,284 ft in the reservoir. Inward flow was 8,321 cusec compared to outward flow of 2,917.5 cusecs. Authorities at the KRS generally keep a safe distance of 1.5 to 2 ft between the reservoir top and its brim during monsoon as part of safety precaution for Kabini reservoir and hence it is not filled to the maximum height. This is due to the fact that in case there are heavy rains in Wayanad region leading to sudden rise in inflow, all crest gates will have to be opened resulting into flash floods downstream. However, with a buffer of two feet, outflow can gradually increase thereby minimizing chances of flooding downstream.
Water release to canals take place from July 8
On July 6th, the Minister for Agriculture N Cheluvarayaswamy responsible for Mandya district stated that on July 6th, Irrigation Consultative Committee of KRS would meet in Bangalore and water from the dam would be released through canals on July 8th. No water was released last year (2023) because there was drought season throughout this period but this year farmers might receive some water like what was promised since it is good monsoon and already reservoir crossed over one hundred feet.
He also said that repairs on Visveswaraya canal had been completed so farmers could start planting and other agricultural activities after opening up these waters for them by releasing it into their farms via irrigation canals.
