With water levels fast depleting in the KRS, the government had resolved to release at least about two tmcft water from Hemavathy reservoir as an alternative arrangement.

However, this arrangement has failed. Officials claim that only about 4,800 cusecs of water was released to the KRS from Hemavathy between May 10 and 15 (an average of around 1,000 cusecs per day).

This is less than half a tmcft of water.

Also on Wednesday, release of water from Hemavathy to KRS was entirely stopped, owing to water levels reaching the dead storage level at Hemavathy, according to officials at the KRS.

Presently, water level at the KRS is 64.55 ft (the level had slightly risen because of release of water from Hemavathy). But this is just a temporary reprieve. Officials say that once water reaches dead storage level at the KRS, it would be difficult to release water as the gates were very old. Though pumping water is an option, officials say that this isn’t a very feasible solution.