3 weeks ago
KRMB convenes Aug 13 meet on Krishna irrigation crisis
Two states in India, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, share big water reservoirs on the Krishna River.
This year, the monsoon rains did not bring enough water, so farmers are facing a water shortage for their crops.
A special board called the Krishna River Management Board will hold a meeting on August 13 to decide how to share the water.
The meeting will focus on two huge reservoirs called Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar.
The water in the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir is less than half of what it can hold.
Because of that, it is hard to take water out unless more water is added first.
Telangana wants water released from Srisailam into Nagarjuna Sagar so it can water crops in some districts.
Farmers were told not to grow paddy this season and to grow other crops instead.
Telangana officials also say Andhra Pradesh is taking too much water from Srisailam.
The board will try to solve the water-sharing problem at the meeting.
The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) will meet with Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments on August 13 to discuss water utilisation in the Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam reservoirs.
The meeting comes as both Telugu states face an irrigation crisis caused by deficit monsoon rainfall.
Telangana plans to request the release of water from Srisailam to Nagarjuna Sagar to meet needs of farmers relying on the Left Bank Canal.
Srisailam stored 118.62 TMC ft (level 863.90 feet of 885 feet), while Nagarjuna Sagar held 150 TMC against gross storage of 312.05 TMC, less than 50% of capacity.
Telangana officials will flag what they call excess drawal of water from Srisailam by Andhra Pradesh through the Pothireddy head regulator.
Farmers in Telangana were advised by the Agriculture Department to avoid paddy and adopt alternative crops for the Kharif season.
- Who
- The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and the governments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
- What
- A meeting to review water levels, availability, and irrigation demands from the common Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar reservoirs amid an irrigation crisis.
- Where
- The Krishna River basin reservoirs Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar; the meeting was reported from Hyderabad.
- When
- August 13.
- Why
- Deficit monsoon rainfall this year has caused an irrigation crisis in the two Telugu states, creating competing demands for scarce water in the shared reservoirs.
Telangana
Andhra Pradesh
Srisailam water drawal
Telangana
Telangana says Andhra Pradesh is drawing excess water from Srisailam through the Pothireddy head regulator and demands release of water to Nagarjuna Sagar for its needs.
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh is already lifting available water from Srisailam via the Pothireddy head regulator for its own use.
Release of water to Nagarjuna Sagar
Telangana
Telangana wants water released from Srisailam to Nagarjuna Sagar so it can supply the Left Bank Canal to paddy farmers in old Nalgonda, Khammam, and Mahabubnagar districts.
Andhra Pradesh
Drawing from Nagarjuna Sagar is difficult unless storage exceeds 200 TMC; the official view noted releasing water from Srisailam is the only option to utilise it from the Sagar.
Key facts
- Organizer
- Krishna River Management Board (KRMB)
- Meeting date
- August 13
- Participants
- Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments
- Srisailam water level
- 863.90 feet out of 885 feet
- Srisailam storage
- 118.62 TMC ft (installed capacity 225 TMC)
- Nagarjuna Sagar storage
- 150 TMC out of 312.05 TMC gross storage
- Cause of crisis
- Deficit rainfall in the 2026 monsoon season
- Farm advisory
- Farmers advised to avoid paddy and adopt alternative crops in Kharif season
Quotes
An official
Representing Telangana irrigation department
“Water storage in Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir is less than 50 per cent of the total capacity. Drawing water from the reservoir would be difficult unless the storage is more than 200 TMC. Now, the only option is to release of water from Srisailam and utilise it from the Sagar.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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