Andhra reservoirs hold monsoon cushion as inflows lag last year

Andhra Pradesh's major reservoirs are yet to fill to their full capacity this monsoon, as upstream inflows have been relatively weaker compared with the previous year. The slower pace of filling, however, has left significant storage space in several key dams to absorb any further rainfall in the coming weeks.

In the Krishna basin, the Srisailam reservoir is holding about 157.5 tmc ft of water, which is nearly 73 per cent of its gross capacity of 215.81 tmc ft. At a water level of 873.7 feet, the reservoir still has over 58 tmc ft of space available for additional inflows.

Further downstream, the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir contains about 182.5 tmc ft against its gross capacity of 312.05 tmc ft, placing it at roughly 58.5 per cent capacity. The Pulichintala balancing reservoir holds 28.19 tmc ft, or about 61.6 per cent of its capacity.

The Prakasam Barrage at Vijayawada is being maintained at its maximum operational level with a storage of about 3.07 tmc ft. While supplying water to the Krishna Eastern and Western delta canal systems, it is also regulating and passing downstream the continuing run-of-the-river flows.

A similar situation prevails in the Godavari basin. The Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram is being maintained at its maximum pond level, holding about 2.93 tmc ft and ensuring supplies to the Godavari delta while routing excess inflows towards the sea. The Sileru (Guntawada) reservoir holds 2.86 tmc ft against its total capacity of 4.33 tmc ft.

Across 65 monitored medium and minor irrigation projects, the cumulative storage stands at 33.23 tmc ft against a total capacity of 91.99 tmc ft — an average filling of just 36.1 per cent. This leaves an aggregate storage space of about 58.75 tmc ft.

Although a few projects, including Bhupatipalem, are nearing full capacity, the overall picture suggests that much of the state's reservoir network still has room for late-monsoon inflows, while continuing to support irrigation and water requirements.