Karnataka releases Almatti dam water for kharif crops as rainfall revives
The Karnataka Irrigation Department on Tuesday began releasing water from the Almatti dam for kharif crops, following a directive from the State government issued a day earlier. The decision comes after rainfall resumed in parts of Maharashtra and Belagavi district, improving the water situation in the Krishna basin.
Last week, the State government had announced that water stored in reservoirs would be used only for drinking purposes. Tuesday's release marks the first time this season that water has been earmarked for irrigation from the Almatti dam.
According to the Monday directive, the release for crops will continue as long as the inflow into the dam remains steady. If the inflow reduces, the release will be rationed – with water supplied for two weeks, followed by a 10-day pause, to conserve storage.
On Tuesday, officials increased the outflow from the Lal Bahadur Shastri reservoir into the Krishna river to around 80,000 cusecs – a four-fold rise from the daily average of 20,000 cusecs recorded until Monday. The inflow into the dam was approximately 72,333 cusecs, while the live storage stood at 101.4 tmcft against the full capacity of 123 tmcft.
Discharge from Maharashtra remained high at around 67,504 cusecs, about 2,037 cusecs more than Monday's figure. Inflow into the Hipparagi Barrage was around 54,300 cusecs, with an outflow of 48,700 cusecs.
Further downstream, the inflow into the Raja Lakhamagouda reservoir on the Ghataprabha in Hidkal was around 10,180 cusecs, against an outflow of 1,582 cusecs. The dam held 28 tmcft of water, against its full capacity of 51 tmcft. The Renuka Sagar dam on the Malaprabha recorded an inflow of 2,953 cusecs and an outflow of 1,194 cusecs, with storage at about 11 tmcft against a capacity of 37 tmcft.
The release of water for irrigation is expected to benefit farmers who had been anxiously awaiting a decision, as the monsoon had been patchy in the region. Officials said the situation will be reviewed continuously, and releases adjusted based on rainfall and inflow patterns.
The State government's move underscores a balancing act between ensuring drinking water security and supporting agricultural needs, a recurring challenge in the Krishna basin. With reservoirs at healthy levels compared to earlier weeks, the latest decision offers some respite to the farming community.
