Karnataka receives 4% excess Southwest monsoon showers, Cauvery basin recorded 9% deficit rainfall

Mysuru: Karnataka State has recorded 4 per cent excess South West monsoon showers which usually spans from June to September. But in the Cauvery basin, the South interior region has recorded 9% deficit rainfall and the Malnad region has recorded 7 per cent deficit rainfall.

However due to the good inflow during the season the water levels of dams in Cauvery basin have been good. They have 93 per cent storage.

According to senior officials of the Indian Meteorological Department, Bengaluru, the South west monsoon which usually ends by September end, has continued. It is likely to conclude and the North East Monsoon is likely to begin on October 16. State is expected to receive above normal NEM showers.

This water year, from June 1 to September 30, Karnataka State received an average of 882 mm against normal of 852 mm (4 per cent excess); including 334 mm against normal of 369 mm (9 per cent deficit) in the South Interior Karnataka; and 1449 mm against normal of 1556 mm (7 per cent deficit) in Malnad region, including the Cauvery basin.

During this water year, from June 1 to September 30, during SWM season the dams in the Cauvery basin have received 341 tmc ft and released 298 tmc ft water. Krishna Raja Sagar Dam received 182 tmc ft and released 157 tmc ft; Kabini received 110 tmc ft and released 107 tmc ft; Hemavathi received 99 tmc ft and released 88 tmc ft; Harangi received 43 tmc ft and released 40 tmc ft.

Even as SWM has continued, from October 1 to October 11, though State has received 28 per cent deficit (45mm against normal of 63mm) rainfall, South interior Karnataka has received 36 per cent excess (83mm against normal of 61mm) rainfall; and Malnad region has received 20 per cent excess (55mm against normal of 69mm) rainfall. The dams have also received good inflow.

From October 1 to October 10, all dams in Cauvery basin received an inflow of 10 tmcft. KRS received 6 tmcft, Hemavathi received 4 tmcft, Kabini and Harangi received 1 tmcft each.

So on October 10, all dams in the Cauvery basin had 93 per cent water, with a total of 106.68 tmc ft, compared to their gross capacity of 114.57 tmc ft. KRS Dam had 47.49 tmc ft of water (96 per cent), against its optimum capacity of 49.45 tmc ft and its water level stood at 123.38 ft against its full capacity 124.80 ft. Kabini had 18.79 tmc ft of water (96 per cent), against its full capacity of 19.52 tmc ft and it stood at 2282.87 ft against its full capacity of 2284 ft. Hemavathi had 32.34 tmc ft (87 per cent), against its full capacity of 37.10 tmc ft, and it stood at 2916.90 ft against its full capacity of 2922 ft. Harangi had 8.07 tmc ft (95 per cent) against its full capacity of 8.50 tmc ft, and it stood at 2857.72 ft against its full capacity of 2,859 ft as per the data provided by Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC).

On October 10, last year, all these dams had 109.90 tmcft of water. There was 49.09 tmcft in KRS dam; Kabini had 19.48 tmcft; Hemavathy had 33.96 tmcft; and Harangi had 7.34 tmcft of water.