Mysuru: For the first time, the water level at Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir in Srirangapatna taluk of Mandya district touched optimum level of 124.8 ft on Sunday, in June itself, breaking all records since 1958.
With good rains and huge inflow, the dam has reached full reservoir level. The previous record was when it filled on July 13, 1973.
According to sources in Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd (CNNL), the KRS dam had touched optimum level of 124.8 ft on July 15, 1958.
From 1958, the level reached its optimum level 12 times in July; 15 times in August; four times in September; six times in October and once in November. From 2000, it had not filled to capacity nine times - in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2023, according to CNNL sources.
The dam was full for the record highest period of 172 days in 25 years in the previous water year (June 2024 to May 2025) from July 21, 2024 till January 12, 2025.
On June 1, the level in KRS stood at 103.70 ft, at the beginning of this water year after the onset of the monsoon on May 28. From June 1 to 29, the dams in Cauvery basin received 73.4 tmcft and released 41.3 tmcft.
On June 28, all dams in the basin had 89% water, with a total of 101.52 tmcft, compared to gross capacity of 114.57 tmcft. On June 28 last year, all dams had 45.02 tmcft.
CM Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, will offer customary ‘bagina’ to River Cauvery at KRS dam at 11 am on Monday.