Failure of successive governments in Kerala to complete dam projects to utilise the Cauvery water awarded by the Cauvery tribunal has naturally turned out to be a boon for Karnataka.
The Kabini dam, on the Karnataka side, is a good example of how State-led efforts can help in harness water for irrigation purposes. The Kabini dam, built across the Kabini river at Beechanahalli in Heggadadevan kote taluk in Mysore district in 1968, had collected 10.81 tmcft of water till August 31 this year as against 10.71 tmcft during the corresponding period last year. It is usually the first dam to get filled in Karnataka as its main source is the Kabani river fed by the Mananthavady, Panamaram, Kalindi and Papanasini rivers originating in Wayanad and the Taraka river that originates from Nagarhole in Karnataka.
Last week, as much as 59,121 cusecs of water flowed into the dam on a single day from the region, according to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre. The dam provides water to the combined system of Sagaredoddakere and Upper Nugu dams. There is an arrangement for lifting and transfer of 28.00 tmcft of water during the monsoon months from the Kabini dam to the other two smaller dams.
