Almatti hits dead storage a month ahead of monsoon

Almatti, one of the major reservoirs of the State and the lifeline of Vijayapura district, has reached dead storage level over a month before the arrival of monsoon.

According to officials of Krishna Bhagya Jal Nigam Ltd. (KBJNL), till a couple of days ago, the dam had over 2 tmcft of live storage. However, after the release of water to Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS), the reservoir has reached dead storage level.

An early low

Officials said the dam reaching dead storage level is not unprecedented.

“In the past, the dam reached dead storage just a week before the arrival of the monsoon,” an official said. The good news is that even the dead storage is adequate to meet the drinking water demand of Vijayapura city and parts of Bagalkot district that depend on Almatti dam.

The available water can be used till June, when the monsoon arrives, the official said. Though norms prohibit usage of dead storage water as it helps maintain ecological balance, a provision has been made to use it for drinking purpose during emergencies.

Telangana demand

Meanwhile, on Telangana’s demand for 2 tmcft of water from Karnataka, Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil said no decision has been taken yet. “We are first checking the availability of water in our reservoirs,” he said.

Storage as on Friday

Total available water: 17.549 tmcft

Maximum storage capacity: 123 tmcft

Almatti hits dead storage a month ahead of monsoon

However, officials say the situation is not unprecedented