KURNOOL: Though the monsoon has arrived, the water level in Kurnool district’s lifeline - Sunkesula Reservoir - has plunged below dead storage mark. Farmers, who depend on the reservoir, are worried over Kharif crop as there is no water to irrigate their fields.
Due to non-availability of water at Sunkesula Dam, the dependent KC Canal resembles a dessert and has turned into a playground. When compared to last year, the present water levels are pathetic. Now, the dam has only rainwater that stored just 0.10 tmcft as against the total reservoir capacity of 1.290 tmcft of water. In other words, there is only 7.75 per cent of water storage in the dam for full capacity, meant to ensure irrigation and drinking water supply in the district.
“Compared to last two years, the current water level is very bad,” B Venkataiah, who regularly observes water levels at the reservoir, said. He said that till Sunday, the dam was a desert and in the last 48 hours, it has got rainwater from upper side villages.
Vijaya Kumar, irrigation officer, who is in-charge of the district flood situation, said that on an average it has recorded 0.70 tmcft of water storage every year, but this time there is only 0.10 tmc of water in the dam. “Till date, it has not received any inflows from Tungabhadra Dam,” he added.
All you want to know about Sunkesula Reservoir