VIJAYAWADA: Officials have decided to release water from the Nagarjunasagar dam by Monday morning as it is receiving inflows of nearly 35 to 40 tmc ft of water per day mainly from upstream Srisailam project.
The dam has water standing at 572.7 ft against the full reservoir level of 590 ft with storage of 263.35 tmc ft against gross capacity of 312.05 tmc ft. The dam is receiving water at the rate of 3,85,191 cusecs. The dam has 26 gates, each one 40 ft wide and 45 ft in height.
Authorities will lift the radial crest gates initially from the centre of the dam, and then one after another at alternate locations. The number of gates to be lifted and the height to which they will be opened will be decided depending on the quantum of floodwater to be discharged from the dam.
As per tentative plans, the authorities will seek permission from both AP government and the Krishna River Management Board on how to go about dealing with floodwater in Krishna river. The floodwater can be released into the right main canal to be used for both drinking and cultivation purposes.
The earlier schedule for release of water into RMC for drinking purposes slated for August 15 and for irrigation purposes on September 15, may be advanced. It has to be seen whether KRMB will take a count of the quantity to be released into canals if released earlier than scheduled. The authorities have been maintaining that it is being done to avoid wastage of water.
As the water gets released into the Krishna river, downstream Pulichintala project with a capacity of 45 tmc ft has 42.72 tm cft of water. Prakasam barrage, which can store 3.07 tmc ft, is full. This means, all the water released Nagarjunasagar will be released into the sea.
APGenco si getting ready to generate hydel power from the 90MW capacity power plant.
Water resources authorities say that last year, floodwater from the dam was released after August 15 and this season, they are advancing the date following good inflow of water into the dam.
Nagarjunasagar right main canal superintendent engineer Ch. Purushottama Ganga Raju said, “We are getting ready to lift the gates once the dam gets filled to the brim either by Sunday night or Monday morning. Whether to release water into RMC or not has to be decided by the government and KRMB and if there is more flood water, we can use it for RMC provided such water is not accounted for by KRMB.”
Nagarjunasagar right powerhouse executive engineer YSRK Prasad said “We are ready to generate hydel power. However, as it is linked to the release of water into the canal. We have to wait for a decision from the government.”
