Rain Shortfall Forces Karnataka to Trim Downstream Supply

Chennai, Sep 8 – A lack of rain in the upper Cauvery catchments prompted Karnataka to drastically lower the water it sends to Tamil Nadu. The combined discharge from the Krishna Rajagar (KRS) and Kabini dams has been set at 5,200 cubic feet per second, down from 11,983 cusec the day before – a 57 percent reduction.

Tamil Nadu relies on this flow to fill the Mettur Dam and sustain irrigation across the Cauvery delta. Of the new total, 4,800 cusec will come from KRS and 1,200 cusec from Kabini.

KRS, situated in Srirangapatna, Mandya, draws water from Kodagu and parts of Kerala’s Wayanad. Rainfall over Kodagu has almost stopped, shrinking inflow to 2,511 cusec while outflow stayed at 4,800 cusec. The reservoir’s water level fell to 106.84 ft, well below its full 124.80 ft mark.

At Kabini in Mysore district, the situation mirrors KRS. The tank level measured 2,268.50 ft of a 2,284 ft capacity, with an inflow of 2,514 cusec and a downstream release of 1,200 cusec.

Standard release protocols weigh rainfall, river flow, stored volume and downstream needs. With the upper basin dry, officials are likely to keep a vigilant eye on reservoir levels before approving any additional adjustments.