BENGALURU: The state has received 22% excess South West Monsoon rainfall from June 1 to August 31, which is the highest in 51 years. With all reservoirs in the Cauvery basin full, the state has released 47 tmcft excess Cauvery water for the entire water year (June to May) to Tamil Nadu during the same period, which is the highest in 48 years.
Karnataka received 844 mm of average rain during South West Monsoon in three months, as against the average 691 mm (in 30 years), the highest since 1971, during the period. Also, 224 tmcft of Cauvery water has already been released to Biligundlu reservoir in Tamil Nadu in the said period, which is the highest since 1974. “The state was supposed to release 177.25 tmcft of water for the entire water year as per the final order of the Cauvery water dispute tribunal, but has released 47 tmcft excess water to Tamil Nadu”, Manoj Rajan, Director, Karnataka State Disaster Management, said.
During this period, the state received 8% deficit rain in 2021 and 6% excess rain in 2020. From July 1 to August 31, the state received 40% excess rain, which is the highest in 50 years. South and North Interior Karnataka and Malnad received excess rain of 151%, 50% and 32% respectively, in these two months.
226% excess rain in B’luru
This month alone (Sept. 1 to 9), the state received 142% excess rainfall (average of 101 mm rainfall as against the normal 42 mm rainfall) and Bengaluru alone received 226% excess rainfall (average of 143 mm of rainfall as against normal rainfall of 44 mm).
All four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin, including Harangi, Hemavathi, KRS and Kabini, can hold 104 tmcft of live storage and 114 tmcft of gross storage of water.
If there is a balancing reservoir at Mekedatu, 67 tmcft of surplus Cauvery water that flows downstream can be stored whenever there is excess rainfall. With no balancing reservoir in the downstream and having good rainfall, the state has been releasing excess water to Tamil Nadu than its actual share since 2019.