In last five days, 32 tmcft. released from KRS, Kabini

Engineers say more water will have to be released as they will have to regulate the outflow from the dams

Mandya Karnataka India 11_August_2019: The Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir near Srirangapatna in Mandya district (a major reservoir in the Cauvery basin in Karnataka) is expected to attain the full reservoir level (FRL) of 124.80 feet by Monday as it has been receiving a record-quantum of 2,07,852 cusecs inflow 6 p.m. on August 11, 2019. The reservoir authorities are discharging 1,53,769 cusecs from KRS as the level has reached 121 feet at 6 p.m. on August 11, 2019.

Nearly 32 tmcft. of water has been released from the Kabini reservoir and the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) during the last five days owing to floods.

The cumulative outflow from both Kabini and KRS was nearly 22 tmcft. between June 1 and August 7, as per the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) records. But this increased to nearly 54 tmcft. between August 7 and 11.

Engineers at the reservoirs say that given the current rate of inflow from the upstream, another 25 tmcft of water will have been released from both the reservoirs by Monday, as they will have to regulate the outflow.

The outflow from the KRS was at the rate of around 1.5 lakh cusecs on Sunday afternoon and at the Kabini it was pegged 1.2 lakh cusecs [a flow of nearly 11,000 cusecs for 24 hours is 1 tmcft.].

The copious ouflow is because the entire Malnad belt, which is the catchment area for the Cauery and its tributaries, has received 498% excessive rain during the week [August 5 to 11] that saw a deluge in the downstream.

The belt, comprising the districts of Shivamogga, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu, has received 606.13 mm of rainfall against a normal of 101.50 mm from August 5 to 11.

Kodagu district received 897 mm of rain during the week against a normal of 158 mm, which is 468% more than the normal rainfall. The district also received 966.07 mm of rain for August till date against a normal rainfall of 257.04 mm, which is 275% above normal. Similarly, Shivamogga has received 692.27 mm for the week against the normal of 126.70 mm and this is 446% higher than the normal rain for the same period.

The district has received 788.81 mm of rainfall for the entire August till date against a normal of 212.50 mm, which is 271% higher than the average.

Hassan received 794% excessive rain last week [ 363.94 mm against a normal of 40.7 mm] and 479% in excess till date for August [395.75 mm against a normal of 68.30 mm].

The rainfall in Chikkamagaluru was 493% higher during the week [572.36 mm against a normal of 96.50 mm] and 283% till date for the month [610.12 mm against a normal of 153.30 mm].