Cauvery row: Relief for Karnataka as rainfall helps state meet CWMA target

Karnataka is locked in a bitter row with Tamil Nadu over Cauvery water this year due to prevailing drought conditions. The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), in its recent order, has directed Karnataka to release 3,000 cusec water per day to Tamil Nadu till October 15. Two bandhs were observed in Karnataka last month, amid protests against releasing water to Tamil Nadu during the crisis period.

Districts lying south of Bengaluru are part of the intermittent catchment for the Cauvery River that directly flows to Tamil Nadu through Biligundlu – where water released from Karnataka is measured. Inflow to KRS and other reservoirs, however, will remain low. According to KSNDMC, the combined inflow to four reservoirs of the Cauvery basin – KRS, Kabini, Hemavathy, and Harangi – was at 6,222 cusec as on October 9. KRS, which is the largest of the four, was receiving an inflow of 3,503 cusec.

Currently, cumulative storage in these dams was 66.23 TMC compared to 109.07 TMC on the same date last year. Storage at KRS was at 23.54 TMC which was less than half of the 47.82 TMC stored in the dam on October 9, 2022.

The South West Monsoon was yet to withdraw from Karnataka and southern parts of the state generally record good rainfall during the withdrawal phase, he said.

Despite the good spell of rainfall over the past few days, KSNDMC data show that October rainfall too is below par. From October 1 to 9, Karnataka received 18 mm of rainfall, compared to an average of 54 mm for the period – a deficit of 66 per cent. South interior Karnataka districts, which receive an average of 52 mm rainfall have received only 12 mm rainfall during the period. Rainfall received by Bengaluru in October was 20 mm, a 67 per cent deficit compared to the normal of 60 mm.