SRIKAKULAM: Taking advantage of the extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani, Water Resource officials have started diverting the floodwater for irrigation needs of the ensuing Kharif season. As the upper catchment areas of Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers received heavy rains in Odisha, both the rivers have become swollen slightly.
To escape from the threat of cyclones, which generally occur between October and November every year, the district administration has decided to advance Kharif season this year from August to June.
Out of 38.1 metre full capacity of the reservoir of Gotta Barrage, the pond level has increased to 37.54 metres. Although the water level has dropped severely at Gotta Barrage on the Vamsadhara river a few days ago due to scorching summer, the recent rains filled up the barrage. With 0.6 tmcft storage of water, the Gotta Barrage is ready to supply irrigation water to the Kharif crop.
Officials are also filling up about 1,600 tanks by diverting surplus water, being released as outflow from the Vamsadhara river. With release of 3,000 cusecs of water from left and right main canals of Gotta Barrage, all 1,600 tanks will be filled up with water in just one month.
Water Resource Superintendent Engineer Surendra Reddy said more than 30 tmcft of water is going to Bay of Bengal every year only from the Vamsadhara river.
Since the tanks are full, the farmers will start sowing operations.