Water Level Falls in All Major AP Reservoirs

Vijayawada: The water level in all major reservoirs fell this summer with no major inflows from upstream projects. The current storage was registered at 451.03 tmc-ft (45.86 per cent) against gross capacity at FRL of 983.53 tmcft on Tuesday.

The last year’s position was 262.94 tmc-ft (26.73 per cent).

At Srisailam major reservoir, the current water storage was recorded at 41.76 tmc-ft (19.35 per cent) against gross capacity at FRL of 215.81 tmc-ft. Similarly, at Nagarjuna Sagar, it was 148 tmc-ft (47.43%) against 312.05 tmc-ft and at Pulichintala, 33.71 tmc-ft (73.65 per cent) against 45.77 tmc-ft.

In Prakasam Barrage, water storage was to its full capacity of 3.07 tmc-ft; at Sunkesula Barrage 0.63 tmc-ft (52.50 per cent) against 1.2 tmc-ft; Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage 2.83 tmc-ft (96.62 per cent) against 2.93 tmc-ft; Tammileru reservoir 0.26 tmc-ft (23.91 per cent) against 1.1 tmc-ft; Yeleru reservoir 10.27 tmc-ft (42.60 per cent) against 24.11 tmc-ft; Gundlakamma reservoir 3.18 tmc-ft (882.38 per cent) against 3.86 tmc-ft; Gotta Barrage 0.09 tmc-ft (15.18 per cent) against 0.61 tmc-ft; Somasila reservoir 53.27 tmc-ft (68.29 per cent) against 78 tmc-ft, Velugodu balancing reservoir 2.88 (16.99 per cent) against 16.95 tmcft and so on.

The water resources department is optimising the available water to do the supply for cultivation of late Rabi crops and to meet drinking water needs.

As for Prakasam Barrage, the department would release water for drinking purposes from April 16. They had already released Krishna water up to Feb 10 to meet the water requirement of farmers who raised late crops during Rabi season. As certain crops are getting ready for harvest, there’s no need for water for them.

Krishna river conservator R Ravi Kiran said, “We are planning to release water to meet drinking water needs from April third week and fill the summer storage tanks so that the water will be sufficient up to June 10. By that time, if rains start, there will be no issue for water for both drinking and cultivation purposes for the Kharif season.”

Moreover, nearly 10,700 cusecs of Godavari River water is being released from the Sir Arthur Cotton barrage to meet the drinking and irrigation needs through three canals. This would be continued up to the third week of April.

Godavari head works superintending engineer K Gopinath said, “At present, we are releasing water to both crops and for drinking purposes and we are having a cushion from Sileru. We will supply water as per need.”