NEW DELHI: The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) has advised the Tamil Nadu government to exercise caution regarding the use of water from the Mettur reservoirs, despite predictions of an above-normal Northeast monsoon. The committee has directed Karnataka to maintain the stipulated flows of Cauvery water at the interstate point of Biligundlu.
So far, the CWRC has expressed satisfaction with the performance of Cauvery water flows from Karnataka during the recently concluded Southwest Monsoon (SWM) season and the early onset of the Northeast monsoon.
Following the conclusion of the SWM season, which commenced on May 30 and finally retreated on October 15, excess water flows were maintained at interstate points in July and August, with the exception of June and September. The water availability situation is also satisfactory in Puducherry.
In its 105th meeting, the CWRC assessed that Karnataka released around 205 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water flows at the interstate point of Biligundlu between June and September 2024, exceeding the required total for the entire monsoon season of 123 TMC (see table).
In comparison, last year, the total water availability in the three Tamil Nadu reservoirs (Mettur, Bhavani, and Amravati) was alarmingly low at just 33 TMC, whereas this year it stands at approximately 75 TMC.
Furthermore, water flows at interstate points in October have also been satisfactory. According to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), as modified by the Supreme Court, Karnataka is required to transfer 0.7 TMC of water flow per day at the interstate point in October.
“In the first 13 days of October, Karnataka has released 10.5 TMC against the required 9.1 TMC,” Vineet Gupta, Chairman of the CWRC, told the New Indian Express after the meeting. He further stated that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted an above-normal Northeast monsoon, which began five days earlier than the normal schedule of October 20.
“Despite satisfactory hydrometeorological conditions in the Cauvery basin, the Tamil Nadu government needs to be judicious in its use of water from its reservoirs,” Gupta advised.
Currently, the live storage level in Mettur is around 53 TMC, owing to lesser water flow in September. The normal storage level should be 55 TMC. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has released 49 TMC of water in September for irrigation purposes. The CWRC has therefore advised the Tamil Nadu government to reduce the release of water from Mettur as Northeast monsoon rainfall has commenced in the Cauvery delta region.
Tamil Nadu government officials urged their Karnataka counterparts to maintain the stipulated water flows. In early October, Karnataka managed to release around 0.5 TMC against the stipulated 0.7 TMC, emphasising that it only releases water when its reservoirs are full; otherwise, it opts not to meet its stipulated flows.
“But in the past three days, Karnataka has increased its flows by over 1 TMC owing to good rainfall,” Gupta noted.
Karnataka, however, asserted that any surplus water released should be accounted for as subsequent releases in future months. This means that if Karnataka releases surplus water in the previous month, it should be considered in the calculations for the current and future months as well.
