HYDERABAD: Thanks to heavy outflows from Jurala project, the Srisailam reservoir is expected to get around 50,000 cusecs beginning this Thursday. Officials on Wednesday lifted 24 gates at Jurala, releasing 1.96 lakh cusecs downstream.
“We expect 50,000 cusecs will have reached Srisailam by tomorrow morning,” B Narayana Reddy, Srisailam Project Chief Engineer, told Express over the phone.
If the heavy flow continues from Almatti and Narayanapur projects in Karnataka, Srisailam will get a huge quantity of water in the coming days. “If we get less than 200 tmcft water at Srisailam, we will be using it to supply drinking water. If we get more than that, we will be able to use it for agriculture as well,” said an official.
Inflows from Almatti at 5 pm on Wednesday were measured at 1.19 lakh cusecs, while the outflows were 2.17 cusecs. Outflows from Narayanpur were measured at 1.85 lakh cusecs.
Inflows at Jurala at 9 pm on Wednesday were 2.05 lakh cusecs, of which officials released 1,96,690 cusecs through the spillway and 19,656 cusecs through powerhouses. Besides, officials released 1,500 cusecs to Nettempadu Lift, 1,300 cusecs to Bhima Lift-1, 315 cusecs to Koilsagar, 550 cusecs to the left canal and 725 cusecs to the right canal. Around 500 cusecs were released to the parallel canal and 750 cusecs to Bhima Lift-2. The total outflows at Jurala were measured at 2,21,532 cusecs.
Meanwhile, with medium irrigation projects across the State receiving water, officials lifted a gate at Sri Komaram Bheem project, four at Palem Vagu and five at Taliperu.
Also, a record inflow of 3,84,800 cusecs was recorded at Kannepally Pump House. Outflows here were 5,31,200 cusecs. The Medigadda barrage, against a full reservoir level of 16.17 tmcft, was at 5.981 tmcft on Wednesday.
Wet runs successful
The wet run of the first pump at Sundilla, conducted by Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL) on Wednesday, was successful. Officials pumped water with the pump to Yellampalli. “The pumping of water from Sundilla to Yellampalli will continue as per the need. Now, Yellampalli is getting its water from Kaddem project. We will decide on whether to pump the water from Sundilla after seeing the outflows at Kaddem,” said an official.
Similarly, the wet run of the fifth pump house at Annaram too was completed successfully.“Water will be pumped from Medigadda and Annaram to Sundilla if the need arises,” said an official. Meanwhile, as directed by the State government due to heavy rains in upstream areas, officials have stopped pumping water from Medigadda and Annaram pump houses. Officials also conducted a wet run of the seventh pump at Medigadda too. It is expected to be finished by Wednesday night.