Upper Godavari stretches in Telangana turn bone dry amid weak monsoon

Leave Telangana's major reservoirs — including the Sriram Sagar Project (SRSP) and Yellampalli — critically low on water. A weak monsoon, especially in Maharashtra, exacerbates the ongoing water crisis in the State

Hyderabad: The upper stretches of the Godavari river remain bone dry, leaving major irrigation projects in Telangana — including the Sriram Sagar Project (SRSP), Sripada Yellampalli, Kaddam, and other reservoirs — with critically low water storage levels.

The lack of significant monsoon activity in the river’s catchment areas has plunged districts such as Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Medak, and Adilabad into a worsening water crisis.

---

Located in Nizamabad district, the SRSP, a lifeline for north Telangana, is grappling with alarmingly low water levels. As of Sunday, the reservoir’s storage is estimated at 13 TMC, far below its full capacity of 90.313 TMC. The project held nearly the same storage on this day last year, despite limited inflows.

The SRSP’s Flood Flow Canal, designed to transfer surplus water to the Mid Manair and Lower Manair dams, remains non-operational due to insufficient water levels.

The Yellampalli reservoir, situated between Peddapalli and Mancherial districts, with a gross storage capacity of 20 TMC, is also in distress. Current storage is reportedly near 8 TMC, severely limiting its ability to meet water needs across multiple districts.

With the Kaleshwaram project inoperative, the system, which is critical for lifting 49.5 TMC of water to upland areas, is unable to meet even basic drinking water demands.

The Kaddam dam in Adilabad district, built across the Kaddam River (a tributary of the Godavari), is similarly affected. With no significant inflows from upstream areas, the reservoir’s storage is minimal, jeopardizing irrigation for Adilabad, Nizamabad, and Karimnagar districts. Operational since 1958, the dam’s current state reflects the deepening crisis in the Godavari basin.

Smaller reservoirs and tanks under the Pranahita-Chevella and Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Schemes are also facing severe shortages. The primary cause of the water shortage is the weak monsoon, with no significant rainfall recorded in the Godavari’s upper catchment areas, particularly in Maharashtra.

The Godavari basin typically receives 84 per cent of its annual rainfall during the Southwest monsoon (June to September), but this year’s lack of rainfall has left the rivers and reservoirs parched.

Maharashtra’s Jayakwadi project, which holds about 48 TMC of storage, is entirely dedicated to local needs. Inflows to SRSP from local sources range between 2,500 and 3,000 cusecs.

Towns like Korutla, Jagtial, Armoor, and Kamareddy, which rely on SRSP and Yellampalli, may face water shortages if the situation persists. In 2015, a similar crisis saw SRSP’s storage drop to 7.53 TMC, triggering an alarming situation.

Telangana irrigation officials are closely monitoring the situation, hoping for the monsoon to set in and bring much-needed relief in the second half of June.