Archive · 20 Aug 2026
Farmer leader urges fair Bhadra water release amid high storage
A farmer leader says farmers using the Bhadra reservoir are not getting enough irrigation water.
He says water is being sent through canals from the Tungabhadra reservoir, but not from Bhadra.
He believes this is unfair to Bhadra-area farmers.
Both reservoirs had a lot of water stored.
He asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to intervene quickly.
He said about 30 TMC could be used for the monsoon crop and about 20 TMC for the summer crop.
Official figures say the Bhadra reservoir was about 80% full.
The government’s normal schedule provides water for farms in several Karnataka districts, while drinking water is given priority.
Prof. C Narasimhappa urged Karnataka to immediately release irrigation water from the Bhadra reservoir.
He alleged that Bhadra command-area farmers are being treated unfairly while Tungabhadra canals receive water.
The Bhadra reservoir held 57.257 TMC, about 80% of capacity, on August 19, 2026.
Tungabhadra was nearly 89% full on August 18, with limited canal releases already underway.
Narasimhappa said Bhadra water should support both kharif and summer crops, while drinking-water needs remain prioritised.
- Who
- Farmer leader and irrigation expert Prof. C Narasimhappa urged the Karnataka government to act; Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was specifically asked to intervene.
- What
- The appeal seeks an immediate and equitable release of irrigation water from the Bhadra reservoir for farmers.
- When
- The storage figures cited were recorded on August 18 and 19, 2026, during the monsoon season, with about six weeks remaining according to Narasimhappa.
- Where
- The issue concerns the Bhadra command area in Karnataka, including farmland supplied by the Bhadra and Tungabhadra reservoir systems.
- Why
- Narasimhappa alleges that Bhadra farmers are being discriminated against while Tungabhadra canals receive irrigation water, despite high reservoir storage.
Farmer leader’s position
Available official figures and schedules
Current water release
Farmer leader’s position
Prof. C Narasimhappa says Tungabhadra canals are receiving water while no comparable release is being made from Bhadra, calling this bias and discrimination against Bhadra command-area farmers.
Available official figures and schedules
The article provides storage and project-schedule data but does not report a direct government response confirming or rejecting the alleged disparity.
Use of stored water
Farmer leader’s position
Narasimhappa says Bhadra water should be released immediately for the first crop and should support two crops, as in previous years.
Available official figures and schedules
Official project information cited in the report says drinking-water requirements are prioritised and that normal Bhadra schedules include kharif irrigation releases, along with allocations for the Upper Bhadra Project.
Water availability
Farmer leader’s position
Narasimhappa argues that Bhadra has sufficient water, with about 30 TMC available for the monsoon crop and only around 7 TMC of additional inflow needed to fill the reservoir.
Available official figures and schedules
The reported figures show Bhadra was about 80% full and Tungabhadra nearly 89% full, but they do not establish how much water can be released after accounting for drinking-water and other project requirements.
- Bhadra storage
- 57.257 TMC out of 71.535 TMC, or roughly 80%, as of August 19, 2026.
- Bhadra level
- 174 feet, compared with a full reservoir level of 186 feet.
- Bhadra inflow and outflow
- Inflow was 4,486 cusecs and outflow was 204 cusecs.
- Tungabhadra storage
- 93.72 TMC out of 105.788 TMC, or nearly 89%, as of August 18, 2026.
- Tungabhadra level
- 1,629.91 feet, compared with a full level of 1,633 feet.
- Normal Bhadra kharif allocation
- About 32.62 TMC is released through left- and right-bank canals, with additional allocations for the Upper Bhadra Project.
- Requested crop allocation
- Narasimhappa said approximately 30 TMC could serve the monsoon crop and the remaining 20 TMC the summer crop.