BENGALURU: The water level at the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir has hit 94 feet, one of its lowest marks. With this, the water availability from the dam has reduced from 297 tmcft last year to 278 tmcft now. With the storage nearing rock bottom, experts warned against relying heavily on the remaining water.
According to data from the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), the gross storage of KRS and Kabini dams was 19.50 tmcft and 9.25 tmcft on April 29 last year, but this year, it is 18.52 tmcft and 6.23 tmcft, respectively.
At this time of the year, the level at KRS normally stands at 100 feet. “With temperature increasing and the depth of the reservoir going down, algal growth increases, which pollutes water. Algae formation will affect the quality and taste of water. When such water is consumed, it triggers water-borne diseases, ’’ Capt Raja Rao, former irrigation secretary, told The New Indian Express.
KSNDMC former director Srinivas Reddy said that at present, the live storage is around 10 tmcft, of which over 7 tmcft will be supplied to Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya and Ramanagara districts for drinking purposes.
Also, nearly 0.8 to 1 tmcft of water evaporates when it travels from KRS to TK Halli, which are 80 km apart. “We are on the edge. People need to use water cautiously,” Reddy said. Even though the monsoon starts in June, inflows into the reservoir do not begin immediately. “We need to use the existing water at least till June 15, when the inflows start,” he added.
Sources from the State Disaster Management Department said that most of the districts in the Cauvery basin, including Kodagu, Mysuru, Mandya, Ramanagara and Bengaluru, have not received sufficient rainfall. “All these districts are in the red category, showing deficit rainfall. Water in the dams in these regions has come down,” said a senior official, requesting anonymity.
“The government has taken measures. But the situation may not be in our favour if it does not rain in these regions. The IMD forecast presents a dim picture. Cautionary days are ahead,’’ the official said.
