With the repairs and maintenance work on Yeleru canal being completed during the one month closure period, water has been released from the reservoir.
The receipt at the end point- the Kanithi Balancing Reservoir- after flowing for 156 km in an open canal is expected to go up by 15 mgd. Before the repairs, if 160 MGD was released the realisation was only 65 to70 MGD.
After the repairs, it is now expected to touch 80 plus MGD.
The improvement is mainly attributed to arresting leakages from structures on Sarpa and Varaha rivers and 20 other structures and it is considered an achievement
But with the reservoir level at 71.3 meters, a bit below the dead storage level and flow by gravity not possible, first stage pumping had to begin along with the opening of the canal.
Though water was not drawn from the canal by Visakhapatnam Industrial Water Supply Company (VIWSCO) during the one month closure from March 1, the reservoir levels fell due to use of water for irrigation purposes.
The utilisation of water for irrigation purposes is more than what is expected. With the Yeleru reservoir touching the dead storage level, GVMC officials have already addressed letters to the Irrigation Department to limit their use, it was reliably learnt.
However, with the agricultural season coming to an end by April 15, the use for irrigation is likely to be limited to 100 cusecs.
In such a scenario, the first stage pumping will be sufficient to maintain supply up to June 30, effectively seeing through summer with other sources supplementing the availability.
Shortfall
The shortfall from Yeleru reservoir will be met by pumping from Kateru pumping scheme on the Godavari. After April 15 with the closure of canals on the Godavari, 150 cusecs can be drawn from Kateru lift scheme, sources said.
With the strengthening of the canal, 325 cusecs of water was released into Yeleru canal on March 31. Prior to the repairs water was not released beyond 300 cusecs because of the condition of the canal.
It had reached the water supply canal at Tallapalem on Tuesday. It would reach KBR by Wednesday evening and by Thursday evening it would be stabilised enabling assessment of the effectiveness of the repairs carried out, it was learnt.
