The depleting water-level in Hemavathi reservoir at Gorur, near here, has left the farmers of Hassan and Tumakuru districts worried. Paddy and other water-intensive crops cultivated in over 3.54 lakh acres of land are likely to be affected as the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd., is not in a position to provide water for standing crops beyond November this year, given the way the water-level is decreasing in the dam.
As on Friday, water-level stood at 2,892.04 ft. against the full reservoir level of 2,922 ft. Last year this day, the reservoir was almost full with 2,921.78 ft. In 2014, the water level reached the maximum level on August 1. The total storage capacity of the reservoir is 37,103 tmcft. Last year this day, 36,890 tmcft water was available in the reservoir. However, on Friday, only 15,199 tmcft., water was available in the dam, which was less than half the quantity of last year’s storage this day.
Divakar Naik, Superintending Engineer (Hemavati Dam division), told The Hindu on Friday, “Farmers cannot expect water from the reservoir for their crops this time. We can somehow manage to release water up to the end of October. After that, it is impossible,” he said.
Of the available 15.199 tmcft, live storage is only 10.82 tmcft., and the rest is reserved for providing drinking water. “Farmers have cultivated paddy in major parts of Tumakuru and Hassan districts. What can we do? This time, they have to forget water from canals. They should hope for good spells of rain,” the official said.
Chances of the water level increasing in the reservoir are less as there has been no good rainfall in the catchment area, he said.
Last year, the reservoir was almost full up to the end of October. There was sufficient water for crops as well as for drinking purposes. In the days to come, residents of Hassan might find it difficult to get drinking water, regularly. Increase in the outflow to river bed, as a measure to help release of water from Cauvery to Tamil Nadu, is also cited as one of the reasons for depleting water level.
