Mysuru
The Kabini Reservoir, which had surged close to its full reservoir level following heavy rains in its catchment areas a couple of weeks ago, is now witnessing a sharp depletion in storage, with the water level falling by nearly 10 feet amid continuous releases to Tamil Nadu.
According to the reservoir readings recorded at 8 a.m. on Saturday, the water level stood at 2,274.44 feet, against the maximum level of 2,284 feet. The reservoir has a total storage capacity of 19.52 TMC, of which the present storage is 13.97 TMC, while the live storage is only 4.16 TMC.
The situation is in stark contrast to the conditions prevailing around two weeks ago, when the reservoir had almost touched the brim after heavy rains lashed the Kabini catchment. The dam level had risen to around 2,283 feet, leaving only about a foot below the maximum level.
However, the sustained release of water downstream, particularly towards Tamil Nadu, has steadily eaten into the reservoir storage. The latest figures show that the inflow into Kabini stands at 7,691 cusecs, while the total outflow has risen to 14,600 cusecs. Of this, 12,940 cusecs is being released through the river, while another 1,660 cusecs is being drawn through the canals.
The Left Bank Canal is receiving 60 cusecs, while 1,600 cusecs is being released through the Right Bank Canal. The reservoir also recorded 15 mm of rainfall, but the inflow remains insufficient to compensate for the heavy outflow.
The worrying aspect is that the rains in the Kabini catchment have now almost receded, raising concerns over the availability of fresh inflows in the coming days. With the reservoir losing water faster than it is receiving it, the comfortable storage position witnessed earlier this month has rapidly changed.
The decline in storage could have serious implications for villages and agricultural areas dependent on Kabini for their drinking water and irrigation requirements. If the present pattern of low inflow and high outflow continues, the pressure on water resources could intensify in the weeks ahead.
The latest figures also highlight the stark year-on-year change. At the same time last year, the reservoir had recorded a water level of 2,284 feet, with a storage of 19.52 TMC and an inflow of 11,739 cusecs.
With the monsoon losing momentum in the catchment and the reservoir continuing to release substantial quantities of water, the once-bountiful Kabini is now showing visible signs of stress. What appeared to be a water-rich season just a fortnight ago has quickly turned into a situation warranting close monitoring of the reservoir and the needs of downstream communities.
