5 of 36 dams in south India are 100 per cent full and need close monitoring
As rains continue to lash several parts of India, live storage in 123 reservoirs monitored by Central Water Commission (CWC) increased 17 billion cubic meters (BCM) in last one week.
The live water storage in these reservoirs was 109.937 BCM as on August 20, 2020, which is 64 per cent of total live storage capacity, according to a bulletin released by CWC. It was 92.916 BCM on August 13.
The southern India — having 36 reservoirs monitored by CWC in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu — recorded 37.47 BCM live storage, which is 61 per cent of total live storage capacity there.
However, five of these dams are 100 per cent full and with monsoon in motion, these need to be managed carefully. Four of the five dams are located in Karnataka and one in Tamil Nadu.
In an advisory issued on August 19, the CWC asked the authorities to monitor the situation in Krishna, Bhima and Tungabhadra basin; due to heavy inflows, the dams are expected to release higher outflows.
“The water release for dams may be informed well in advance to all downstream district authorities concerned in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It also may be informed to this office without delay,” said the CWC.
River Krishna is expected to continue rising and the dams releasing substantial water. The commission has also sounded an alert for Godavari for its water level was rising. Heavy rainfall has been predicted in the catchment areas resulting in high inflows in the river.
Yeldari reservoir in Maharashtra was also at 100 per cent live storage.
Meanwhile, dams in states such as Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh recorded a departure from normal storage. This could be either due to release of water from the reservoirs or below-normal rainfall.
While river basins such as Ganga, Godavari, Mahanadi, Tapi, and Krishna have better than normal storage, Indus and Sabamati basins have below-normal storage. Mahi river basin recorded deficient storage.
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