Boating has been suspended at the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary owing to heavy outflow from the KRS dam. | Photo Credit: M.A. SRIRAM
Continuing heavy rainfall in Kodagu and the entire catchment area of the Cauvery and its tributaries has led to an increase in the rate of inflow into the reservoirs across the river.
The Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam in Srirangapatana taluk is expected to attain its full reservoir level (FRL) of 124.8 feet in due course. The rate of inflow into the dam at 6 p.m. on Sunday was 30,216 cusecs and the water level was 123.1 feet and inching close to the FRL.
Though not rare, the dam is set to attain FRL as early as in the second week of July if the rate of inflow is sustained for the next couple of days. In contrast, the reservoir level on the same day last year was 88.74 feet.
Meanwhile, the outflow from the KRS will be stepped up and it could increase and the rate of discharge could be anywhere between 25,000 cusecs to 75,000 cusecs. People living in the downstream of the dam along the riverbanks have been asked to relocate to safer places. The Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary near Srirangapatna continues to be open to tourists but boating facility has been suspended due to rise in the water levels.
The inflow into the KRS in the days ahead will further increase as the Hemavati reservoir in Goruru in Hassan district is in the upstream, and is also fast filling up. The reservoir level was 2,918.38 feet on Sunday against the FRL of 2,922 feet and the inflow was at the rate of 15,723 cusecs.
Due to continuing rains in Kodagu, the inflow into the Harangi reservoir near Kushalnagar was at the rate of 16,017 cusecs at 6 a.m. on Sunday and is expected to increase further. The outflow had been stepped up and the discharge was at the rate of 14,803 cusecs.
The outflow from both the Harangi and the Hemavathi reservoirs coupled with the increase in yield in the Cauvery due to heavy rains in Bhagamandala, Talacauvery and other regions, will augment the inflow to the KRS.
Meanwhile, the inflow into the Kabini dam is also high as the catchment area of the river Kapila or Kabini, which is in Wayanad district of Kerala, is receiving rains.
The inflow into the Kabini reservoir at H.D. Kote was at the rate of 18,303 cusecs and the outflow has been restricted to 7,458 cusecs. The water level was 2,282.12 feet against the FRL of 2,284 feet. But the dam authorities maintain a buffer of at least 2 feet during monsoon for safety reasons.
