A record 667.24 tmcft of Kaveri water reaches Biligundlu in Tamil Nadu

As much as 667.24 tmcft ft of Kaveri water has reached Biligundlu (Biligundala) measuring station in Tamil Nadu at the end of the water year (June 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023).

So far, this is the highest amount of water that has reached Biligundlu, according to sources in water resources department.

As per the final verdict of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, Karnataka should ensure 177.25 tmcft of water reaches Biligundlu for entire 'water year'. This 'water year', an excess of 489.99 tmcft of water has reached Biligundlu.

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In fact, this is almost three times higher than the Kaveri water, which reached Biligundlu each year in the past three years. As much as 278 tmcft (101 tmcft excess) of Kaveri water had reached Biligundlu from June 2021 to May 2022; 211.34 tmcft (34 tmcft excess) from June 2020 to May 2021 and 273 tmcft (95.75 tmcft excess) from June 2019 to May 2020.

In Karnataka, the live storage capacity of all four reservoirs in the Kaveri basin is 104 tmcft, while the gross storage capacity is 114 tmcft. If a balancing reservoir is constructed at Mekedatu in Ramanagar district, the dam can hold 67 tmcft of surplus Kaveri water, which flows downstream, whenever there is excess rain.

But, with no balancing reservoir downstream and state receiving good rains since 2019, it has been releasing excess water to Tamil Nadu every year, experts said.

In fact, at the end of the southwest monsoon (June 2022 to September 2022), with 20% excess showers in Karnataka and good inflow into reservoirs in the Kaveri basin, 463.85 tmcft of water had reached Biligundlu. At the end of northeast monsoon (October 2022 to December 2022) and with 19% excess rainfall, a total of 639.007 tmcft of water reached Biligundlu.

Now, although Karnataka received 2% deficit rainfall from January 1, 2023, to May 31, 2023, and 1% excess pre-monsoon showers from March 1, 2023, to May 31, 2023, a total of 667.24 tmcft ft of Kaveri water has reached Biligundlu at the end of water year, May 2023.

On May 31, Krishna Raja Sagar had 10.45 tmcft of water as against gross storage capacity of 49.45 tmcft (79.92 ft as against its capacity of 124.80 ft). Last year on the corresponding day, it had 26.97 tmcft of water (104.92 ft). The Kabini dam has 4.43 tmcft of water as against gross storage capacity of 19.52 tmcft (2,251.12 ft as against its capacity of 2,284 t). Last year on the corresponding day, it had 8.43 tmcft of water (2,262.74 ft).

Hemavathi has 16.73 tmcft of water as against its gross storage capacity of 37.10 tmcft (2894.57 feet as against its capacity of 2,922 feet). Last year on the same day, it had 22.71 tmcft of water (2,904.50 ft).

Harangi has 2.62 tmcft of water as against its capacity of 8.50 tmcft (2,819.46 ft as against its capacity of 2,859 ft). Last year on the same day, it had 5.89 tmcft of water (2,850.05 ft).