Nagarjuna Sagar Dam nears full capacity, releases water to manage inflow

The Nagarjuna Sagar Dam has reached 98% of its full capacity, prompting water release through 15 gates to manage heavy upstream inflows. The reservoir supports irrigation in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and is currently generating 815.6 MW of hydroelectric power.

Hyderabad: The Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is nearing its full reservoir level of 590 feet due to unprecedented early inflows in July. The dam water level stood at 587.20 feet, with a storage capacity of 305.62 TMC out of its full capacity of 312.04 TMC.

For the first time in 18 years, the dam’s authorities lifted 15 of its 26 crest gates on Tuesday to release 78,060 cusecs of water downstream, a move typically reserved for August. The early inflows, primarily from the upstream Srisailam Dam, have been driven by heavy rainfall in the Krishna River’s catchment areas in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

At 12 PM, the dam recorded an inflow of 2,28,900 cusecs, while total outflows were regulated at 1,18,790 cusecs, including discharges to the right canal (5,088 cusecs), left canal (4,351 cusecs), main powerhouse (29,191 cusecs), and other irrigation channels.

Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, who oversaw the gate-opening along with Minister Adluri Laxman Kumar, said the early filling of Nagarjuna Sagar was a boon for farmers across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, irrigating over 22 lakh acres.

The Srisailam Dam, upstream of Nagarjuna Sagar, is also experiencing heavy inflows, with 2,59,116 cusecs recorded at 2 PM on July 29, 2025. Its water level stands at 883 feet, just 2 feet shy of its FRL of 885 feet, with a gross storage of 204.7880 TMC out of 215.8070 TMC. AP irrigation officials at Srisailam have opened seven spillway gates to release 1,90,099 cusecs, contributing to the discharges from the project benefiting the Nagarjuna Sagar.

Farmers rely on the dam for irrigation across districts like Nalgonda, Suryapet, Khammam in Telangana and Krishna, Guntur, and Prakasam in AP. The dam’s hydroelectric plant is also operating at full capacity, generating 815.6 MW to support the national grid. Additionally, the heavy inflows have boosted tourism, with visitors flocking to witness the spectacular sight of water gushing through the crest gates, a rare occurrence in July.