VIJAYAWADA / GUNTUR: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday night took stock of the flood situation in the State, following heavy inflows into the Krishna and Godavari rivers.
Emphasising dynamic flood management, he directed officials to optimise water resource utilisation by filling reservoirs and tanks to their full capacity, while ensuring timely alerts for residents in flood-prone areas.
Officials informed that the Prakasam Barrage is currently experiencing an inflow of 6.57 lakh cusecs, with projections indicating a potential rise to over 7 lakh cusecs by Monday due to heavy rainfall in Telangana, and floodwater from the Srisailam reservoir.
Similarly, the Godavari River at Dowleswaram is witnessing a flow of 10.12 lakh cusecs, which may increase to 11.50 lakh cusecs. Authorities are releasing excess water into the sea as reservoirs across the State are at 94% capacity.
Naidu instructed officials to use real-time data from rain gauges, and upstream river flows to manage floods effectively. He stressed the importance of coordinated efforts to fill all reservoirs and as many tanks as possible to enhance groundwater levels.
According to officials, efficient water management and canal operations have led to a significant improvement in groundwater levels, with the State’s average groundwater table rising to 8.43 metres, up by 1.25 metres compared to last year. Notably, the Rayalaseema region has seen a 2.07-metre increase in groundwater levels.
Despite the substantial inflows, thousands of TMC of water have flowed into the sea, with 1,089 TMC from the Krishna and 3,251 TMC from the Godavari recorded so far. To maximise water retention, Naidu directed officials to implement plans to fill tanks and further boost groundwater recharge, while continuing to release excess water to prevent flooding.
The Chief Minister also emphasised the need for proactive measures to alert residents in low-lying areas vulnerable to flooding. He directed officials from irrigation, disaster management, and other departments to work in coordination to provide timely assistance to affected communities.
The virtual review meeting was attended by officials from the Irrigation Department, Real-Time Governance Society (RTGS) and Disaster Management Authority.
2nd flood warning issued at Prakasam Barrage
Heavy flood inflows into the Krishna River have prompted authorities to issue a second flood warning at Prakasam Barrage on Sunday, with downstream discharge matching the realised inflow of 6.57 lakh cusecs. Of this, 10,652 cusecs were diverted into canals, including 6,139 cusecs into the Krishna Eastern Main Canal and 4,513 cusecs into the Western Main Canal, while the Guntur Channel remained closed. The barrage level was maintained at 15.9 feet.
Upstream reservoirs continue to release large volumes of water. Srisailam is receiving 5.93 lakh cusecs and releasing 5.90 lakh cusecs, with its storage at 202 TMC (93% of capacity). Nagarjuna Sagar is discharging 5.89 lakh cusecs, while Pulichintala reservoir is in heavy spate, releasing 6.09 lakh cusecs. Floodwaters from Pulichintala have submerged crops in several villages of Guntur district.
In response, district administrations in Krishna, NTR, Guntur and Bapatla have stepped up flood mitigation measures. Irrigation and revenue officials are on high alert, monitoring the situation round the clock.