Perhaps for the first time in the history of the Tungabhadra dam, there are apprehensions among the farmers that it would not be able to supply water for one kharif crop.
Going by previous records, the dam has always had surplus water every year, except around eight to nine years and this year, and supplied water for two crops in a year.
But, even those years when there was no surplus water, the dam has ensured water for at least one crop.
On Thursday, the water level in the dam was 1,614.97 feet as against its full reservoir level of 1,633 feet, with 45.67 tmcft of water in store. The inflow has been 1,824 cusecs while the outflow was around 7,688 cusecs.
Last year, on this day the level was 1,624 feet with 69.78 tmcft storage and inflow being 18,627 cusecs with outflow of 7,115 cusecs.
Irrigation experts are still hopeful the dam would ensure a couple of more wettings to cotton and chilli during December and January going by the little increase in the storage of water and with better management of limited available water in the dam.
