Mysuru: While Tamil Nadu is set to receive heavy rains following the onset of the North-East Monsoon in the neighbouring state, the water level at KRS reservoir has dropped to an alarmingly low level and stood at 76.90 feet as against its capacity of 124.80 feet on Monday. This is just 2.90 feet away from dead storage level, hinting that a drinking water crisis awaits Bengaluru, Mysuru and other towns in the Cauvery basin.
KRS, Kabini and Harangi have stopped releasing water into canals for irrigation, except for Hemavathi which released 300 cusecs into canals on Monday.
Water release into the river leading to Tamil Nadu too has been temporarily stopped, according to sources. Excess water is being released from Hemavathi and Harangi into the river leading to KRS to improve the levels at the mighty reservoir.
Kabini which usually releases water along with KRS (when the water level at KRS drops) to meet the drinking water needs of Bengaluru in February, has already started releasing water for the purpose.
The inflow into KRS on Monday was 4,246 cusecs and the outflow was 206 cusecs. Last year on the same day, the water level was 104.8 feet.
At Kabini, the water level on Monday stood at 2265.35 feet as against its capacity of 2284 feet, while the inflow was 317 cusecs, outflow was 300 cusecs.
At Hemavathi, the water level on Monday stood at 2868.41 feet as against its capacity of 2922 feet. While the inflow was 206 cusecs, outflow into the river leading to KRS was 2600 cusecs. Last year on the same day, the water level stood at 2876.04 feet.
At Harangi the water level on Monday was 2831.54 feet, as against its capacity of 2859 feet, while inflow was 350 cusecs, outflow into the river leading to KRS was 5,000 cusecs.
The water level at KRS has dropped from 81.84 feet on October 20 before water was released to Tamil Nadu followed by the Supreme Court’s latest order, to 76.90 feet on Monday. Water level at Kabini has dropped from 2267.59 feet to 2265.45 feet , at Hemavathi it has dropped from 2872.22 feet to 2868.41 feet and at Harangi it dropped from 2843.53 feet to 2831.54 feet.
