Telangana reservoirs brim ahead of Rabi season after abundant monsoon, Cyclone Montha

Telangana is witnessing one of its most water-abundant years, with key reservoirs across the Krishna and Godavari basins nearing full capacity. Despite crop damage from Cyclone Montha, the rainfall has ensured robust irrigation prospects for the upcoming Rabi season.

Hyderabad: With the present storage levels in key dams across the State standing at 95 to 100 per cent of their gross capacity by the end of October, experts have hailed this as one of the State’s most abundant water years in recent memory.

As the monsoon clouds of 2025 bid farewell, Cyclone Montha, despite causing extensive damage to standing crops, delivered the much-needed final spell of replenishment. Barring the reservoirs integrated with the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, almost all major irrigation sources are brimming.

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The stage is set for a Rabi crop season that will begin next month. With adequate water availability, it promises yet another productive paddy season. The storage levels indicate robust Rabi prospects, unless the gains are undone by poor management of critical water resources.

In the Krishna basin, powerhouse projects such as the Srisailam reservoir are full with 212.92 TMC against a gross capacity of 215.81 TMC, while the Nagarjuna Sagar dam holds 311.15 TMC against its 312 TMC limit.
Even the Jurala Project, a critical link in the chain, is full with 9.44 TMC stored in its 9.66 TMC capacity.

“These levels are exceptional,” said irrigation officials. “The Krishna basin received over 120 per cent of its normal monsoon quota this year, thanks to prolonged southwest winds and cyclonic influences from the Bay of Bengal.”

Across the Godavari basin, the outlook is equally promising, with several dams filled to capacity. The Nizam Sagar and Sri Rama Sagar projects are completely filled at 17.80 TMC and 80.50 TMC respectively, matching their designed capacities.

The Kaddam Narayana Reddy Project storage on Thursday stood at 4.62 TMC against a gross capacity of 4.69 TMC, while the Sripada Yellampally reservoir holds 18.12 TMC against its 20.17 TMC capacity.

Smaller but vital contributors such as the Upper Manair (2 TMC full), Mid Manair (26.68 TMC of 27.55 TMC), and Lower Manair (23.60 TMC of 24.03 TMC) are also full, though the Singur Project is slightly behind at 16.80 TMC of 29.91 TMC due to upstream diversions.

Overall, the Godavari network’s collective storage exceeds 95 per cent capacity, a stark contrast to the lean years of 2022 and 2023 when levels dipped below 60 per cent.

This turnaround stems from an unusually wet monsoon season, during which Telangana recorded 1,150 mm of rainfall, well above the long-term average of 950 mm, driven by six low-pressure systems that triggered relentless showers from June to September.

For Telangana’s 77 lakh farmers who rely on these basins for nearly 70 per cent of their irrigation needs, the timing could not be better. Rabi crops such as paddy, pulses, and cotton, typically sown in November, require steady water flows through winter, and current levels ensure canals like the Nagarjuna Sagar Left will run full for at least the next six months.