VIJAYAWADA: Water-levels in several major reservoirs and water bodies in Krishna, Godavari, Pennar, Vamsadhara basins have depleted, when compared to the corresponding period last year, barring one or two projects. Early summer, increasing mercury levels, over-exploitation of water sources, evaporation losses, and decrease in the inflows from upper catchment areas of both Krishna and Godavari rivers is said to be a reason for the fall in the water levels.
In Krishna basin, Andhra Pradesh has Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sangar, Pulichintala projects and Prakasam barrage, while there is only Sir Author Cotton Barrage at Dowaleswara in Godavari basin.
As per the data provided by AP State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), storage levels in Srisailam was 31.40 TMC on April 15 as against 34.74 TMC on the same day last year. In Nagarjuna Sagar storage levels were at 161.01 TMC on April 15 as against 191.89 TMC on the same day last year.
Water levels were maintained at 3.07 TMC at Prakasam Barrage on April 15, which was same last year. At Sir Author Cotton Barrage, water storage levels stood at 1.92 TMC, while it was 2.98 TMC on the same day last year.
In Yeleru Reservoir, water storage levels stood as on date at 10.65 TMC as against 11.41 TMC last year. At Gotta Barrage the water levels were 0.30 TMC on April 15 as against 0.19 TMC on the same day previous year.
In Veligodu Balancing reservoirs water levels stood at 2.53 TMC today compared to 1.94 TMC on the same day last year. In Somasla, water storage levels stood at 52.54 TMC today as against 60.18 TMC and in Kandaleru the water storage levels were at 40.26 TMC on April 15.