Blurb
Almatti Dam receives first monsoon inflow above 1,000 cusecs, bringing hope to North Karnataka farmers after weeks of rainfall shortage and water concerns
Vijayapura
The Lal Bahadur Shastri (Almatti) Reservoir, a crucial water source for North Karnataka, has received its first significant monsoon inflow, bringing renewed hope among farmers and irrigation-dependent communities across the Krishna basin.
After several weeks of concern over weak monsoon rainfall and declining water storage levels, the inflow into Almatti Dam crossed the 1,000-cusec mark for the first time this season. According to official reservoir data, the inflow reached 1,239 cusecs following continued rainfall in the Krishna River catchment area, especially in Mahabaleshwar and parts of the Western Ghats in neighbouring Maharashtra.
The latest inflow comes after a prolonged period of minimal water entry into the reservoir, which had brought storage levels close to the dead storage mark. Water resource experts stated that the increase, though limited compared to the dam’s overall capacity, is an encouraging indication that the southwest monsoon has started contributing to the recharge of the Krishna basin.
As per the latest figures, the reservoir water level stood at 507.79 metres, with total storage recorded at 20.654 TMC. However, the live storage available for irrigation and drinking water purposes remains low at 3.034 TMC, indicating continued pressure on water resources.
The reservoir is currently releasing around 822 cusecs of water, which is lower than the incoming flow. Officials said that if rainfall continues in the upstream catchment areas, the water level may gradually increase in the coming days.
Despite the improvement, authorities have cautioned that the situation is not yet fully comfortable. During peak monsoon periods, Almatti usually receives inflows running into several lakh cusecs, making the current inflow only an initial recovery sign.
Agriculture experts said future rainfall in Maharashtra’s Krishna basin will play a major role in restoring irrigation availability, maintaining drinking water reserves, and supporting downstream reservoirs.
The India Meteorological Department has predicted continued rainfall in parts of the Western Ghats and Krishna basin. For thousands of farmers in North Karnataka, the fresh inflow has brought optimism for the upcoming kharif season after weeks of uncertainty caused by delayed monsoon rains.
