KRS Dam stuck at 108 ft.; Kabini Dam falls 12 ft. from full level

Mysuru: In compliance with the directive of CWRC, Karnataka has so far released 33 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) of water from the KRS and Kabini reservoirs to Tamil Nadu.

Thousands of cusecs of water continue to flow into Tamil Nadu every day, steadily depleting the reservoirs in the Cauvery basin. The CWRC yesterday again ordered Karnataka to release 9,000 cusecs daily for the next 15 days. Following the recommendations of the CWRC and orders of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), the State Government continues to release water from the basin reservoirs to Tamil Nadu.

From KRS reservoir alone, around 7 tmcft has already been released downstream. Against the full reservoir level of 124.80 feet, the water level stood at 108.20 feet today. With rainfall picking up in Kodagu now, inflow into the KRS Dam has increased to 4,004 cusecs.

Despite the reservoir not being full, water continues to be released every day. Today, 4,543 cusecs were being discharged.

Officials said that had water not been released to Tamil Nadu, the KRS Dam water level would have touched nearly

120 feet by now. Instead, it has remained around 108 feet. Farmers and residents fear that continued release as per CWMA orders could put even drinking water supplies at risk.

Kabini was the first reservoir in the Cauvery basin to fill up, following heavy rains in Wayanad, Kerala, which brought in a massive inflow. However, around 26 tmcft has already been released from Kabini to Tamil Nadu, leaving the reservoir facing the risk of depletion.

Against its full level of 2,284 feet, the Kabini water level stood at 2,272.52 feet today. The reservoir was receiving an inflow of 9,106 cusecs, while 7,923 cusecs were being discharged to Tamil Nadu.

Continuous releases have brought down the water level by nearly 12 feet, and officials and farmers fear that the reservoir could face further depletion if inflows decline.

Meanwhile, the other Cauvery basin reservoirs, Harangi and Hemavathi, are yet to reach full capacity. Farmers in the region have complained that their crops are not receiving adequate irrigation water even as Tamil Nadu continues to receive a steady supply.