Though the inflow of water into major reservoirs in the district has enhanced since the last five days owing to copious rain in their catchment areas, the live storage of water in them continue to remain less compared to the previous year.
The inflow into Linganamakki reservoir, the source of water for the Sharavati hydel power project, has enhanced from 7,782 cusecs on July 15 to 40,345 cusecs on July 20. The water level in the reservoir has reached 1,771 ft as on Thursday as against the maximum level of 1,819 ft. The live storage of water in the reservoir at present is at 38.10 tmcft as against the total 151.75 tmcft. Last year, 51.01 tmcft of live storage was recorded here on the same day.
The inflow into Bhadra reservoir too has increased. The inflow that was at 2,684 cusecs on July 15 has increased to 18,092 cusecs on July 20. On Thursday, the water level in the reservoir was at 132 ft as against the maximum level of 186 ft. The present live storage of water in the reservoir is at 12.04 tmcft as against the total live storage capacity of 63.04 tmcft.
The live storage of water in the reservoir was at 21.76 tmcft last year on the same day.
In the wake of low water storage in the reservoir, the Bhadra Command Area Development Authority has directed the farmers not to cultivate paddy, a water-intensive crop for kharif season. The farmers have been asked to take up less water intensive crops like pulses, oil seeds, and millets.
Meanwhile, life was paralysed owing to torrential rain that lashed Tirthahalli and Hosanagar taluks on Thursday.
More than 100 electricity poles fell in Tirthahalli taluk owing to the gushing wind that accompanied the rain disrupting power supply to parts of Agumbe, Agrahara, and Muttur Gram Panchayats.
In Nagara hobli in Hosanagara taluk, as many as eight villages are plunged in darkness for the last two days as electricity poles here were uprooted by the heavy wind.
The Tunga is flowing near the danger mark in Shivamogga city as 39,314 cusecs of water is being discharged from Gajanur reservoir. Agumbe has received 218 mm of rain in past 24 hours, followed by Mani 200 mm, Hulikal 197 mm, Mastikatte 194 mm and Yadur 192 mm.
