- 47.311 tmcft (123.25 ft) in 2025
- 11.233 tmcft (81.00 ft) in 2026
- 73,811 cusecs inflow on 28.06.2025
- 530 cusecs inflow on 28.06.2026
Mysuru: The Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam has entered the crucial Southwest Monsoon season of 2026 with one of its poorest water positions in recent years, raising concerns over the sluggish progress of rainfall in Cauvery catchment areas of Kodagu.
According to official data from Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Limited (CNNL) on June 28, 2026, the reservoir held 11.233 tmcft of water at a level of 81 feet against its full reservoir level of 124.80 feet. Inflow stood at just 530 cusecs. Of the total storage, the live storage is only 2.809 tmcft, while 8.424 tmcft accounts for dead storage and silt.
A comparison with data recorded on the same date over the past two decades shows that the present storage is among the lowest for the end of June and is dramatically lower than last year, when the reservoir had almost reached its full capacity.
On June 28, 2025, the reservoir stood at 123.25 feet with 47.311 tmcft of water and was receiving a massive inflow of 73,811 cusecs following heavy monsoon rains in Kodagu.
Notably, the cumulative inflow in the last 20 years is the lowest in 2026 (from June 1 to June 28) with 1.37 tmcft. At the same time, the cumulative inflow in the last 20 years was the highest in 2025, with 38.4 tmcft.
The inflow trend also presents a worrying picture. At 530 cusecs, the present inflow is the lowest recorded among the 20 years listed, even lower than 547 cusecs in 2009 and 655 cusecs in 2019. By comparison, the reservoir received 13,437 cusecs in 2024, 36,510 cusecs in 2015, 23,867 cusecs in 2013, 11,483 cusecs in 2011 and a staggering 73,811 cusecs last year.
The poor inflow suggests that rainfall in the Cauvery catchment areas of Kodagu has so far been insufficient to generate significant runoff into the reservoir.
Reservoir levels during June are closely monitored as they provide an early indication of the monsoon’s performance and the likely availability of water for agriculture and urban consumption.
With June traditionally being one of the wettest months in the Cauvery catchment, the below-normal storage and weak inflows have become a matter of concern for residents of Mysuru, Mandya and Bengaluru, as well as farmers and officials.
June 2026 rainfall in India: 3rd lowest in 126 years
India has experienced its third worst June rainfall in 126 years with the nation recording only 92.1 mm of monsoon showers till Monday (June 29) — a deficit of 42 percentage.
Since 1901, there have been only four years when the June rainfall was less than 100 mm, with the worst being 2009 when the country received just 87.5 mm of rainfall followed by 1905 when the figure was 92.3 mm. This June 2026 can very well be the next one when the month ends today (Tuesday).
According to India Meteorological Department’s records, the June rainfall was less than 100 mm in only two other years — 2014 (93 mm) and 1926 (97.4 mm). Three other years with poor June rainfall were 1902 (109 mm), 1912 (106.8 mm) and 1923 (101.7 mm).
Despite the poor show in June, meteorologists said it would be premature to press the panic button as one should also take rainfall distribution into account.
Highest Storage Data
| Date | Reserve Level (in feet) (Maximum: 124.80 ft) | Gross capacity (in tmcft) |
| 28.06.2025 | 123.25 | 47.311 |
| 28.06.2022 | 106.90 | 28.718 |
| 28.06.2018 | 105.63 | 27.554 |
| 28.06.2008 | 102.68 | 24.985 |
| 28.06.2015 | 101.25 | 23.806 |
(Note: The data of the top five highest years mentioned here)
Lowest Storage Data
| Date | Reserve Level (in feet) (Maximum: 124.80 ft) | Gross capacity (in tmcft) |
| 28.06.2017 | 68.35 | 6.516 |
| 28.06.2016 | 69.48 | 6.859 |
| 28.06.2009 | 72.44 | 7.828 |
| 28.06.2012 | 74.55 | 8.582 |
| 28.06.2023 | 77.90 | 9.890 |
(Note: The data of the top five lowest years mentioned here)
Silt accumulation further reduces storage capacity
Mysuru: Apart from weak monsoon rainfall and poor inflows, another major concern for KRS Dam is the steady increase in silt accumulation, which has significantly reduced the reservoir’s effective storage capacity.
Official records show that the estimated silt deposit and dead storage level at reservoir remained unchanged at 4.401 tmcft between 2016 and 2023. However, it rose sharply to 8.179 tmcft (silt & dead storage level) in 2024, increased further to 8.379 tmcft in 2025 and has now reached 8.424 tmcft (silt & dead storage level) in 2026.
Official records indicate that the Dam’s dead storage has increased by 4.023 tmcft by accumulation of silt over the past 3 years, effectively reducing its live storage capacity and limiting the volume of water it can hold even during years of good rainfall. 2026 reservoir status is particularly significant as it combines lowest inflow recorded in past 20 years with highest level of silt accumulation. As a result, despite a gross storage of 11.233 tmcft, the reservoir has a live storage of 2.809 tmcft.
Compared to previous years, KRS Dam is not only receiving substantially lower inflows but is also operating with a diminished effective storage capacity because of growing silt deposits.
A Karnataka Engineering Research Station (KERS) Integrated Bathymetric Survey (IBS) found that the Dam accumulated about 2.34 tmcft of silt since its commissioning in 1932. The survey, conducted in 2023, covered reservoir bed using hydrographic techniques.
What is ‘dead storage’?
Dead storage is the permanent volume of water held at the very bottom of a dam that cannot be extracted under normal operating conditions. It sits below the minimum pool level & outlet pipes and is primarily designed to accumulate silt & sediment over the dam’s lifespan.
This post was published on June 30, 2026 7:30 pm