Water was released at the rate of around 4,000 cusecs on Saturday from the Sonna barrage built across the Bhima at Afzalpur taluk in Kalaburagi district, as the barrage was receiving heavy inflow after the Bhima catchment area in Karnataka and Maharashtra received good rainfall.
Ashok R. Kalal, executive engineer of Bhima Lift Irrigation Project, said the barrage was receiving water at the rate of 4,000 cusecs and the same amount was released into the river as a precaution. He also cautioned people along the river course against approaching it or letting their cattle into the river. The barrage held around 2.74 tmcft of water on Saturday, as against its capacity of 3.16 tmcft. The water level was a little higher than that recorded on the same day last year, and was equal to what was recorded in the second week of August last year.
