VIJAYAWADA: Over the past five years, an estimated 4,104.41 TMC of Krishna river water has flowed wastefully into the Bay of Bengal due to the absence of proper water storage facilities. This year too, approximately 72.75 TMC of fresh water has been released downstream from the Prakasam Barrage since July alone, sparking concern among farmers and experts alike.
Despite the river witnessing regular inflows during monsoon seasons, farmers in the Krishna delta—covering the erstwhile districts of Krishna, Guntur, West Godavari, and Prakasam—continue to face severe water shortages. Their crops are frequently damaged due to erratic irrigation supplies, and many are unable to cultivate during the rabi season due to lack of water post-January.
In a bid to tackle the issue, the government had earlier proposed two check dams: one at Chodavaram village in Penamaluru mandal (12 km downstream of Prakasam Barrage) and another at Bobbarlanka village in Mopidevi mandal. These dams were designed to store 4.131 TMC and 4.950 TMC of water respectively, with an estimated cost of Rs 2,235.35 crore and Rs 2,569.39 crore. However, both projects have since been shelved.
As a result, large volumes of Krishna water continue to be discharged into the sea. In 2022-23, over 1,331.17 TMC was let out, followed by 848.96 TMC in 2024-25. Authorities have meanwhile released varying volumes for agriculture and drinking purposes through the Krishna canal system—such as the Krishna East Canal, Krishna West Canal, Eluru Canal, Bandar Canal, KEB, and Guntur Channel.
As of August 3, the Pulichintala Project holds 42.08 TMC (91.94%), while the Prakasam Barrage is filled to capacity with 3.07 TMC (100%). With reservoirs brimming, nearly 1,94,772 cusecs of surplus water was discharged into the sea on Sunday morning.
Farmer H Hari Krishna from Pedda Kallepalli in Mopidevi mandal lamented the inability to take up rabi cultivation due to post-January water scarcity. He urged the government to revive the proposed downstream dam projects to support agriculture and ensure adequate drinking water supply.