VIJAYAWADA: Though heavy rains from August to October and again in November under Nivar and Burevi cyclones have caused distress to the farming community, they filled the irrigation projects across the State to the brim and recharged the ground-water table considerably.
As per the State water audit from June 1 to December 13 this year, the State received 11,933.81 TMC of water from both rainfall and flood water from upstream of different rivers. At present, the storage level in the State including groundwater and soil moisture is 1,024.24 TMC.
For the first time, Pennar basin in the State witnessed abundant water inflow and Somasila reservoir was filled to brim and Kandaleru reservoir, which caters to the drinking water needs of Chennai and Tirupati cities, accumulated 60 TMC of water, which is a record high in last five years.
“We are confident that water levels in various major and minor projects and tanks in Pennar basin will be sufficient to address the needs of irrigation and drinking water for next two years,” an official from the irrigation department in Nellore told TNIE.
As per data from Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Information & Management System, the State received 6,057.39 TMC from rains and 5,876.42 TMC inflows from other States. Inflows into Penna river were 331.84 TMC (at Somasila). Due to rains that lashed different parts of Rayalaseema, several river tributaries including Kundu, Chitravathi, Papagni, Bahuda, Jayamangali, Cheyyur, Pincha were in spate.
Current water levels in major reservoirs in Penna basin including Somasila, Gandikota, Kandaleru, Chitravati, PABR, Mylavaram put together is 100.5 TMC and if the minor irrigation projects and tanks are also taken into account, the water storage levels in the basin will be more.