VIJAYAWADA: The inflows to Prakasam Barrage have once again surged as discharge from tributaries of Krishna such as Munneru, Paleru, Kattaleru Kesara, Vyra and others started reaching on Saturday. As the inflows may further rise up to 3.5 lakh cusecs by Sunday evening, the officials sounded off a caution in the low-lying areas downstream the barrage.
The officials released about 1.45 lakh cusecs surplus by lifting all the 70 crest gates after utilising about 5,000 cusecs via the delta canals. The barrage was getting 1.5 lakh cusecs at 6pm and it is expected to increase to 3 lakh cusecs by Sunday morning and 3.5 lakh cusecs by evening. “The inflows have increased to the barrage due to the rains in Telangana.
To regulate the flood, 5,000 cusecs would be diverted through the canals and the rest would be released downstream through the 70 gates,” District Collector A Md Imtiaz said. He directed the officials concerned to shift the public in low-lying areas to safer locations. The outflow from Pulichintala Project is also likely to join the inflows at barrage, further increasing the flood level.
Meanwhile, the inflows to other major reservoirs in Krishna basin have also marginally increased. At 3 pm, the reservoir recorded an inflow of 2.08 lakh cusecs and an outflow of 2.59 lakh cusecs. The reservoir has 213.92 TMC of water at 884.71 feet as against its full reservoir level (FRL) of 215.81 TMC at 885 feet. Nagarjuna Sagar was getting 93,000 cusecs at 12 noon and the outflow was 1.21 lakh cusecs.
It has 310.55 TMC of water at 589.5 feet as against its FRL capacity of 312.05 TMC at 590 feet. Pulichintala project, at 8 pm, was getting 2.2 lakh cusecs and the outflow was 2.77 lakh cusecs. As most of the reservoirs in Krishna basin are at FRL or near it, the Central Water Commission (CWC) has advised standard operation protocols for the flood management especially as rainfall is likely to continue in the river catchment area.