Outflow from dams in Cauvery basin stepped up over heavy rain

MYSURU

The water discharge from Krishnaraja Sagar reservoir in Mandya district was stepped up on Monday morning as the inflow into the dam crossed 50,000 cusecs amidst continuous rains in the dam’s catchment area in Kodagu.

With the water-level of the dam touching 122.60 feet as against the maximum of 124.80 feet, the dam authorities increased the release of water from 26,143 cusecs on Sunday evening to 48,963 cusecs at 6 a.m. on Monday. The outflow into the river may go up further with the likelihood of increase in inflow.

The inflow at 6 a.m. on July 11 was 50,467 cusecs. The outflow on this day last year was 1,370 cusecs and the inflow was 1,777 cusecs.

The dam authorities on Sunday had asked the people living in low-lying areas of the river and on the river banks to move to safer places, announcing that water would be discharged at the rate of 25,000 cusecs to 75,000 cusecs into the river in view of heavy inflow. The discharge may increase any moment and, therefore, the people are advised to take precautions, they said.

The other major dams in Cauvery river basin are also filling up fast and inching closer to their maximum levels with torrential rains lashing their catchment areas.

Kabini dam in Mysuru district, which used to be the first dam to get full during monsoon following rains in neighbouring Kerala, is nearing its full reservoir level (FRL) with the inflow into the dam remaining high. The dam is 2 feet short of attaining its maximum level, with the level on Monday standing at 2,282.74 feet as against the maximum of 2,284 feet. The water was discharged at the rate of 30,000 cusecs at 6 a.m. on Monday as the inflow was 30,870 cusecs.

The outflow from Harangi dam in Kodagu crossed 20,000 cusecs. With continuing rains in its catchment area, the inflow was 17,231. The surplus water is being discharged into the river.