Tributaries save the day for Krishna farmers

The Vijayawada Irrigation Circle authorities released 3,300 cusecs into the canals from Prakasam barrage on Friday

Tributaries that discharge their floodwaters into the Krishna River below the Nagarjunasagar Project have come to the rescue of delta farmers to raise seedbeds though the Krishna River Management Board stopped releases more than a week ago.

Vijayawada Irrigation Circle authorities have been releasing between 3,300 and 6,150 cusecs of water received from tributaries that discharge into the Krishna River below Nagarjunasagar Project (NSP).

Floodwaters from Muniyeru, Wyra and Kataleru are providing farmers in Krishna delta the much needed water to raise seedbeds. Farmers began agricultural operations with groundwater in some areas, but the salinity is high in the groundwater in places along the coast beyond Pamarru.

The release of water from NSP for Krishna delta was stopped on July 9, but releases continue to Alimineti Madhava Reddy Project (AMRP). The release to AMRP was increased from 900 cusecs to 1,350 cusecs on July 12 and was reduced to 340 cusecs and stopped completely on Thursday.

The Vijayawada Irrigation Circle authorities released 3,300 cusecs into the canals from Prakasam barrage on Friday.

They released 2,200 cusecs to the Krishna Eastern Main Canal that supplies water to Krishna delta areas in Krishna and West Godavari districts and 1,000 cusecs to Krishna Western Main Canal that supplies to Guntur and Prakasam districts. About 100 cusecs were released to the Guntur Channel that provides drinking water to villages located between Vijayawada and Guntur cities and also to Guntur city.

Scanty rain was recorded in the delta districts of West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam on Wednesday and no rainfall was recorded in the delta on Thursday. A maximum rainfall of 7.6 mm was recorded at Kandukur in Prakasam district on Wednesday.

Rainfall scattered

In Guntur district, Sattenapalli was the only place which received 5.4 mm of rainfall. In Krishna district, the rainfall was scattered with Gudivada recording 6.2 mm, Prakasam Barrage 4 mm and Vijayawada 3.4 mm. No rainfall was recorded on Wednesday in Krishna delta area that is in West Godavari district.