As gates of several brimming projects are under operation in the upstream of river Krishna, record inflows are resulting in the water level rising gradually at the Nagarjunasagar Project.
On Saturday, around 6 p.m., the Project was 18 feet short of the full reservoir level of 590 feet and was holding 263 tmc ft water as against the full capacity of 312 tmc ft.
Official estimates showed the upstream Srisailam Project was discharging close to 4.50 lakh cusecs.
Superintending Engineer (NSP) Dharma Naik, who inspected the Project on Saturday, forecast that consistent inflows for the next 24 hours would enable operation of the crest gates by Monday evening.
He said the operation of NSP gates in the month of July, in the wake of early monsoon and surplus rainfall across the line, was happening after nearly 14 years.
And to mark the event and the bountiful supply, Mr. Naik said the Irrigation Department would request Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who is scheduled to tour Halia in the Nagarjunasagar constituency on Monday, for his presence and the gate operation.
Anticipating the development, the official said gate maintenance works such as greasing, change of gate rubber seals and other works have already been completed and they were ready for operation. Villages in the downstream of NSP and around the Pulichintala Project have also been alerted for floodwaters.