Mysuru: Moderate to heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of River Cauvery in Kodagu has resulted in considerable increase in the water levels at the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam in Mandya, though the water level is yet to touch the 100 ft. mark.

This morning, the gross capacity (includes unusable water) of the KRS Dam stands at 19.051 million cubic feet (tmcft) and last year, it stood at 17.66 tmcft. The reservoir has the capacity to store 49.452 tmcft of water.

According to Irrigation Officials, the inflow to the KRS Dam has crossed 25,000 cusecs this morning and if the same inflow rate continues, the dam will touch the 100 ft mark within two or three days. Rains in the last three days have also boosted the water levels at Hemavathi (Hassan), Harangi (Kodagu) and Kabini (Mysuru) dams.

Yesterday, the water level at KRS stood at 93.52 ft while a day before yesterday it stood at 92.65 ft. Today’s level stands at 95.80 ft. The Live Capacity (usable or potable water) of the Dam as on this morning stands at 11,316 Million Cubic Feet and the Gross Capacity (usable plus silt-mixed water) stands at 19,695 Million Cubic Feet. The maximum level of the Dam is 124.80 ft.

The inflow of water was recorded at 27,680 cusecs while the outflow was recorded at 10,649 cusecs. Last year, the water level on this date stood at 92.47 ft, Live Capacity was at 9,085 Million Cubic Feet. The Gross Capacity last year was recorded at 17,464 Million Cubic Feet. The inflow was recorded at 7,373 cusecs and outflow last year was recorded at 9,583 cusecs.

According to officials at Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd., heavy rain in Wayanad region in Kerala, the catchment of Kabini, has increased the water level of the reservoir. Kabini had 2,268.43 ft of water against the full level of 2,284. Yesterday’s water level was recorded at 2,272.25 ft and the overall storage level was recorded at 12.8 tmcft. While the Harangi reservoir in Kodagu is again nearing its full capacity with a level of 2,858.18 ft (maximum level is 2,859 ft), Hemavati Reservoir (Gorur Dam) is yet to receive 29 ft of water to reach the full reservoir level of 2,922 ft.

Following rain and subsequent increase in water levels in the reservoirs along the Cauvery Basin, hopes of farmers have lifted as they can continue to feed their paddy and sugarcane fields. However, Mandya farmers are not happy with the State Government move to continuously release water to Tamil Nadu.

“It has been raining continuously in Mysuru and Mandya and the natural water flow to Tamil Nadu has also increased. Despite this, the Government is releasing almost 8,000 to 10,000 cusecs of water every day to the neighbouring State. If we had stopped the outflow in July and August, the KRS would have reached the maximum level by now,” a farmer told Star of Mysore. For the record, in August, Mandya recorded 1096.77 mm rainfall.

“We are not sure when we will be permitted to take up sowing activities as we have been instructed by the State Government not to take up agriculture activities and water will only be provided to fill up   water bodies and for drinking purposes,” he added.