Karnataka slashes Cauvery water release to Tamil Nadu

Karnataka has sharply reduced Cauvery water releases to Tamil Nadu by 57 per cent, cutting discharge from Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) and Kabini reservoirs to 5,200 cusecs amid weakening rainfall and declining inflows in the upper catchment areas.

Chennai: The quantity of Cauvery water being released to Tamil Nadu from Karnataka’s Krishnaraja Sagar and Kabini reservoirs has been reduced sharply to 5,200 cubic feet per second following a decline in rainfall and inflows across the upper catchment areas.

The combined discharge had stood at 11,983 cusecs the previous day. It has now fallen by 6,783 cusecs, representing a reduction of nearly 57 per cent within a day.

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The decline is significant for Tamil Nadu, which closely monitors releases from Karnataka’s Cauvery basin reservoirs. The water flowing downstream contributes to the storage at the Mettur Dam and supports irrigation in the Cauvery delta, where farmers rely on timely supplies for standing crops and seasonal cultivation.

Of the total quantity released towards Tamil Nadu, 4,800 cusecs were being discharged from the Krishnaraja Sagar reservoir, commonly known as KRS. The remaining 1,200 cusecs were being released from the Kabini reservoir.

KRS is situated at Srirangapatna in Karnataka’s Mandya district. Its catchment area includes Kodagu district and parts of Wayanad in Kerala.

Rain has completely stopped in Kodagu, leading to a steady reduction in the volume of water entering the reservoir. By Monday morning, the water level at KRS stood at 106.84 feet against its full reservoir level of 124.80 feet. The inflow was recorded at 2,511 cusecs, while outflow remained higher at 4,800 cusecs.

As discharge exceeded the inflow, the reservoir’s stored water continued to decline. A similar situation was reported at the Kabini reservoir in Mysuru district. Its water level was recorded at 2,268.50 feet above sea level, compared with the full reservoir level of 2,284 feet.

The inflow into Kabini stood at 2,514 cusecs, while 1,200 cusecs were being discharged downstream. The releases from Kabini and KRS together accounted for the 5,200 cusecs flowing towards Tamil Nadu.

Reservoir discharges are normally regulated after considering rainfall, inflows, available storage and downstream requirements.

With rainfall weakening across the upper Cauvery catchments, the authorities are expected to closely monitor reservoir levels before making further changes.

The reduction has renewed attention on water availability for Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery delta. Any fresh spell of rain in Kodagu and Wayanad could improve inflows into KRS, Kabini and other reservoirs in the basin.