More inflows to TS, AP reservoirs likely

Vijayawada: The reservoirs which have so far not received any inflows are likely to get more inflows this week as projects on the Krishna river in the upstream states are at full storage level now.

The dams like Alamatti and Narayanapur are brimming with water and are almost full. Irrigation experts told The Hans India that the reservoirs in AP and Telangana states are likely to get more inflows in the next few days.

According to officials, 123.67 tmcft water is available in the Alamatti reservoir as against its full storage capacity of 129.71 tmcft. The reservoir recorded about 30,000 cusecs of inflows and 27,000 cusecs of outflows on Sunday evening.

Similarly, 32.4 tmcft water is available in the Narayanapur reservoir as against its full storage capacity of 37.6 tmcft. The reservoir has also 27,800 cusecs of inflows and 8800 cusecs of outflows.

The two reservoirs are important irrigation projects in the upstream state of Karnataka, and it has been using maximum water to meet the irrigation needs from the Narayanapur project.

However, farmers in the two Telugu states continue to look towards the sky as the water levels in state projects are still at dead storage levels.

About 1.98 tmcft water is in the Jurala project as against its total storage capacity of 9.657 tmcft. At Srisailam, 31.13 tmcft water is available as against the full storage capacity of 215.807 tmcft.

Experts opine that even if the two Telugu states request the government of Karnataka, it may not release water.

Karnataka in the past also never responded to any SoS even though their projects were full. Only when their reservoirs reach a level where they cannot hold anymore water, they allow outflows into the reservoirs in Telugu states.

Irrigation official D Madhusudhana Rao said the Pattiseema water helped a lot in Krishna delta this year too though there was some delay in the release of water.

He felt that the two Telugu states should make a request to Karnataka to release water at least for drinking purposes in Rayalaseema districts.