Karnataka: Vanivilas Sagar dam level crosses 126 feet mark after 65 years

The recent incessant rains in Malnad region and Chitradurga districts in addition to the pumping of water from the Upper Bhadra Project has led to the swelling of water level in the dam.
Drone view of Vani Vilas Sagar dam at VV Pura village of Hiriyur taluk on Thursday. (Photo | EPS)
Drone view of Vani Vilas Sagar dam at VV Pura village of Hiriyur taluk on Thursday. (Photo | EPS)

CHITRADURGA: The lone water body of the Central Karnataka Vani Vilas Sagar dam on Thursday crossed the 126.50 feet mark which it last achieved in 1957. After a gap of 65 years, the water level in this dam has increased.

The recent incessant rains in Malnad region and Chitradurga districts in addition to the pumping of water from the Upper Bhadra Project has led to the swelling of water level in the dam.

This also has replenished the ground water table. The borewells that were defunct for quite some time have started pumping water, thereby making the drought-prone region water-rich.

Having a capacity of 30 tmcft and a height 130 feet, the VV Sagar dam has been crossing the 100 feet mark since last Four years due to pumping of water from the Upper Bhadra Project.

It first crossed the 100-feet mark in 1911. The last time the water level crossed the 100-feet mark was in 2021 (125.50ft). The construction of the dam started in 1897 by then Mysore Maharaja Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar.

The dam recorded its maximum water level in 1932 (125.50), 1933 (125.25), 1934 (130) feet was the record.

Sources from the dam management authority told TNIE that they are expecting the water level to cross 130 ft this time and once it reaches this mark, water will be released to the river.

However, this depends on the net cusecs inflow into the dam. On Thursday, there was an inflow of 3043 cusecs into the dam and there was no outflow.

The dam also acts as the drinking water supply source for the cities of Hiriyur, Challakere and the Science City located at Kudhapura near Near Nayakanahatti.

Hiriyur MLA Poornima Srinivas said the dam filling up is a good sign.

"We are going to conduct Ganga Puja for the dam shortly. Along with this, we are also going to pursue the Upper Bhadra Canal project so that water flows to every corner of Chitradurga district," she added.

She also said that the Central government has given in principle approval for the Upper Bhadra Project as the national project and will speed up the project work.

At present, water from Upper Bhadra Project is flowing through the Vedavathi River from Kukkesamudra Tank of Kadur taluk in Chikkamagalur district.

Poornima further inspected the lowlying areas ofthe dam and has requested the public to move to safer spots as there are chances of releasing of the water through the river if the water reaches a maximum level of 130 feet. The Deputy Commissioner too has given instructions for the residents to move to safer places.

Officials to look into the matter so that no public and villagers will get affected.

Eleven villages are getting affected

Poornima Srinivas further said that Eleven villages in the Hiriyur and Challakere regions will get affected when the water is released from the Dam once it crosses 130 feet.

Giving information about the villages she said that Vanivilasapura, Katharikenahalli, Koodlahalli,Bidarakere villages of Hiriyur and others are from Challakere taluk, sufficient precautionary steps have been taken to ensure that the people and domesticated animals are moved to safer places.

Tahsildars of Hiriyur and Challakere have been requested along with executive officers to ensure that the public are informed about the water status in the dam and its release to the river. Along with this I have also directed them to collect more information about the experiences of the public on the action to be taken in case of the release of the water from the dam.

With a large number of public mainly youths coming to see the filled dam there are chances of freak accidents, hence the police officials have been requested to increase the security of the dam so that the crowd can be controlled.

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