Heavy rain since September 22 and the subsequent flooding owing to heavy rain in the catchment areas of the Kagina river and the Bennethora river and their tributaries in Bidar and Telangana have once again exposed the lack of infrastructure in Kalaburagi to harness excess rainwater to meet the irrigation and drinking water requirements of the water-starved district.
Owing to heavy rain, about 17.15 tmcft of water has been released into the rivers from the major reservoirs in the district since September 22. If this water was stored or diverted to fill the tanks in the district, it would have helped in increasing the irrigation potential and improving the groundwater level in the district.
According to sources, there would have been no drinking water shortage in the district for at least the next two years if this was done.
The highest amount of water — 5.25 tmcft— was released into the Bennethora river since September 22 followed by 5.19 tmcft from the dam across the Bhima river serving the Bhima Lift Irrigation Project Dam. Also, 3.41 tmcft of water was released from the Lower Mullamari Dam, 2.38 tmcft from Chandrampalli Dam and 0.92 tmcft from the Gandorinala Project. According to official records, 5.05 tmcft of water has been retained in the Bennethora Dam as against the full capacity of 5.29 tmcft and 2.67 tcmft has been stored in Bhima Lift Irrigation Project Dam at Sonna as against the full capacity of 3.166 tmcft.
In Chandrampalli Dam, 1.14 tmcft of water has been retained as against the full capacity of 1.20 tmcft.
Amarja Dam, which was almost dry during the summer is fast filling up and as against the full capacity of 1.55 tmcft, the dam’s present storage is 1.08 tmcft. The inflow into the dam was 1,343 cusecs on Wednesday.
Though the inflow and outflow in all the major reservoirs in the district have dropped considerably, Bhima Lift Irrigation Project Dam at Sonna continues to get a good inflow of 19,220 cusecs and the same amount of water is being let into the river course.
