Dams in Godavari basin also full

HYDERABAD: Twelve of the 42 crest-gates of Sriramsagar dam were lifted on Tuesday evening, with the storage in the project nearing its full capacity level following heavy inflows that crossed 1.5 lakh cusecs on Tuesday. Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah, accompanied by Speaker K. R. Suresh Reddy, hoisted the gates by pressing a button.

With this, all the projects in the Godavari basin, either on the main river or its tributary the Manjira, are full. Nizamsagar and Singur projects have already reached their full capacities, forcing the authorities to open the flood-gates.

The storage in Sriramasgar touched 82 tmcft (thousand million cubic ft), against its full capacity of 91 tmcft, nullifying the fears entertained about the Babli being constructed by Maharashtra 80 km upstream.
Inflows to continue

The heavy inflows into the dam will continue for a few more days, said B. D. V. Kumar, chief engineer, Sriramsagar, quoting a Central Water Commission forecast.

The entire ayacut of 9 lakh acres under Sriramsagar spread over Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Warangal districts was left fallow during the kharif as water could not be released to crops due to inadequate storage at that time.

In the light of the improved situation, arrangements are in place to ensure supplies for rabi.

On the other hand, about 2 lakh cusecs of water is flowing into the sea from the Krishna through opened spillways of Jurala, Srisailam, Nagarjuanasagar and Prakasam Barrage. Similarly, projects across the Nagavali and Vamsadhara too are full. The only exception is those on Pennar.