Water levels in Karnataka's 14 reservoirs drop to 36%
The four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin have just 53.09 tmcft of water compared to 57.52 tmcft last year.
Hubballi: The current water levels in 14 reservoirs of Karnataka is just 36%, which is less than the level on the same day last year.
As on April 16, 2026, the 14 major reservoirs held 322 tmcft of water. The total storage capacity is 895 tmcft of water. Last year the reservoirs had 330 tmcft of water.
More worrying is that the 11 reservoirs supplying drinking water hold less water than they did last year. The four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin have just 53.09 tmcft of water compared to 57.52 tmcft last year. The out flow from these reservoir is far higher than the inflow. KRS, Harangi, Hemavathi and Kabini cumulatively releasing 5,240 cusecs of water daily, while its inflow is just 130 cusec per day.
Though the six reservoirs in Krishna basin has (nearly 134 tmcft of water) more water than the previous year, however, senior officials fear that the region can still face drinking water crises due to higher rate of evaporation. Almatti, the largest multipurpose reservoir in state, has 33.77 tmcft of water nearly five tmcft more water than last year.
Though Tungabhadra reservoir has nearly 14 tmcft of water, the government has decided not to release water for second crop as they are repairing crest gates of the dam. The outflow from this reservoir is 4,232 cusecs.
Gaurav Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, Water Resources Department, says that there is no need to worry as they have calculated the requirement of drinking water till the advent of monsoon and managing the levels accordingly.
The water level of the Krishanaraja Sagar (KRS) dam, in Srirangapatna taluk, Mandya district, depleted to below 100 feet on April 16.
The water level was 101 ft on the corresponding day, last year. The Cauvery River basin received copious rains for the last two years, and the water level in the KRS dam which supplies drinking water to Mysuru and Bengaluru cities was in a comfortable position.
As on April 16 (Thursday), the water level was 100.96 ft, against the maximum capacity of 124.80 ft. The inflow was 74 cusec and outflow 4,033 cusec (including supply to canals and drinking water supply).
According to Cauvery Neeravari Nigam engineers, the available water will be used for drinking water and agricultural activities. Every day 300 cusec of water is required to meet the drinking water needs of Bengaluru and 150 cusec for Mysuru. As there is 23 tmc ft of water in the dam, there is no drinking water problem up to June, they said.
Source By: Karnataka Reservoir Water Levels Drop, Cauvery Basin Concerns Rise
Source By: Karnataka Reservoir Water Levels Drop, Cauvery Basin Concerns Rise
