Water levels dip in irrigation projects in Karimnagar

Compared to last year, there is a drop of 5 tmc of water in the three reservoirs of Mid Manair, Lower Manair Dam and Sripada Yellampalli project

Karimnagar: Water levels in irrigation projects in the erstwhile district have registered a dip. Compared to last year, there is a drop of 5 tmc of water in the three reservoirs of Mid Manair, Lower Manair Dam and Sripada Yellampalli project.

If the present situation continues, officials feel it will be a tough task to supply water to the standing crop.

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The previous BRS government had protected the standing crops by supplying water by filling all irrigation projects with Kaleshwaram water. Earlier, water used to be lifted from Medigadda and dumped in the Yellampalli project, from where it was taken to Mid Manair by filling the Nandi reservoir and operating the Gayatri pump house.

Besides the LMD, water used to be supplied to the Ranganayak Sagar in Siddipet district from MMD. Before the construction of the Kaleshwaram project, the Sri Ram Sagar Project (SRSP) was a major water source for the Yellampalli project. After completion of Kaleshwaram, water was lifted from Medigadda especially in the Yasangi season to protect standing crops.

Presently, it is not possible to draw water from Godavari since water was let out from the three barrages of Sundilla, Annaram and Meddigadda following the sinking of three pillars at Medigadda.

Water levels in Yellampalli have dipped since there are no inflows from SRSP. The levels have fallen to 10.86 tmc as against its storage capacity of 20.175 tmc. This was when 18.11 tmc water was available in the project during the corresponding month last year. Though the project is not getting any inflows, 855 cusecs of water is being supplied to HMWS (323 cusecs), NTPC (242) and Gudem PH (290), according to officials.

In order to protect standing crops, irrigation officials had lifted more than 25 tmc from the Kaleshwaram project every year for three years.

As against its storage capacity of 27.55 tmc, 15 tmc water is available in Mid Manair. During the corresponding period in 2023, 20 tmc water was available in the reservoir.

Meanwhile, only 8 tmc of water is available in LMD as against its storage capacity of 24 tmc. This is when 13 tmc of water was available in March 2023. Presently, 3,000 cusecs of water is being released through Kakatiya canal to supply water to standing crops under LMD.