VIJAYAWADA: Farmers in the Krishna Delta are likely to face a delay of at least 15 days in the start of Kharif operations this year, with irrigation water scheduled for release only from July 1. The setback is attributed to El Niño concerns, the late onset of the southwest monsoon and negligible inflows into major reservoirs of the Krishna basin.
The government has fixed July 1 as the release date for the 2026-27 water year. Last year, water was released on June 15, while historical records show varying dates: July 10 in 2024, June 7 in 2023, June 10 in 2022 and July 5 in 2021.
The delta, spanning Krishna, NTR, Guntur and Eluru districts, covers nearly 1.3 million acres, with paddy as the principal crop. Timely water release is critical for nursery raising and transplantation.
In 2025, favourable monsoon conditions and strong inflows into reservoirs such as Almatti, Jurala, Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar enabled early release on June 15. This year, however, inflows remain negligible, prompting authorities to adopt a cautious approach.
Although water was released to the Godavari Delta on schedule, officials say hydrological conditions do not support advancing the Krishna Delta release. Data from the Prakasam Barrage highlights fluctuations: 194.75 TMC released in 2025-26, compared with 170.55 TMC in 2021, 194.62 TMC in 2022, 117.45 TMC in 2023 and 170.50 TMC in 2024.
Water Resources Department officials have cautioned farmers against premature sowing based on sporadic showers. “Given the prevailing weather uncertainty, the chances of releasing water ahead of schedule are slim. As of now, July 1 remains the official date. Farmers should avoid hasty cultivation and wait until irrigation supplies are assured,” said Gunakara Rao, superintending engineer, Krishna District Water Resources Department, speaking to TNIE.
