KURNOOL: Three of the total 12 gates of the Srisailam Dam were lifted by 10 feet each on Monday to release water at the rate of 76,056 cusecs into the Nagarjuna Sagar.
After performing special pujas, Chief Engineer (CE) Khabeer Basha and Superintendent Engineer (SE) Srirama Chandra Murthy, along with other officials, lifted the gates of the Srisailam Dam when the water levels stood at 878.90 feet.
Having a full reservoir level of 885 ft, water is usually released from the dam once it reaches 880-ft mark. However, this time, the water was released at 878.90ft as a precautionary measure, officials explained.
The gates of the dam were released for the first time this year. Last year, the gates were not lifted as there was no adequate water in the reservoir.
As of Monday evening, irrigation officials reported that the reservoir was receiving 140,478 cusecs water from Tugabhadra and 2,95,955 cusecs from Krishna Rivers, totalling to 4,36,433 cusecs.
The reservoir appeared full as it had been receiving steady inflows form upper catchement areas for the past 10 days.
According to the flood bulletin, water was being drawn from the dam at the rate of 1,58,513 cusecs. This included 76,056 cusecs water being released to Nagarjuna Sagar via the spillway.
According to irrigation officials, Transmission Corporation (TRANSCO) officials continued power generation using 62,862 cusecs water from both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana powerhouses.
While officials of the Andhra Pradesh Power Utilities were drawing 27,547 cusecs water for power generation, Telangana officials were drawing 35,315 cusecs water for the same.
Additionally, 18,000 cusecs water was drawn from the Pothireddypady Head Regulator. The Mahatma Gandhi Kalvakurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme was drawing 1,600 cusecs from the Srisailam reservoir.
