Krishna River Runs Dry as Inflows Collapse
HYDERABAD: The Krishna river basin is facing a severe water shortage, with reservoirs from Almatti in Karnataka to Nagarjuna Sagar receiving negligible inflows due to a rainfall deficit in the catchment areas.
At the same time last year, all major projects between Almatti and Nagarjuna Sagar were receiving an average inflow of 10,000 cusecs. This year, however, El Niño-linked weather conditions have drastically reduced rainfall, leaving the river system resembling a dry stretch.
El Niño weakens reservoir inflows
Data show that the situation at Almatti reservoir is particularly alarming. On June 13 last year, the project recorded an inflow of 12,134 cusecs. As of 9 am on June 13 this year, not a single cusec had entered the reservoir.
The lack of inflows has also affected downstream reservoirs, including Narayanpur, Tungabhadra, Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar, which are receiving only nominal water.
Drinking water concerns emerge
Almatti reservoir has a gross storage capacity of 129.72 tmc ft. During the corresponding period last year, storage had already reached 64.12 tmc ft.
Officials fear that if the rainfall deficit continues, drinking water and irrigation requirements could come under pressure. Power generation at Nagarjuna Sagar has also depleted available storage levels. If substantial rainfall does not occur in the coming weeks, water managers may face difficult conditions after August.
The situation is particularly visible at Srisailam reservoir, where water levels have fallen sharply amid the absence of meaningful inflows.
