Karnataka reservoirs show contrasting levels as rains swell Almatti and authorities urge drinking‑first water use

Heavy rainfall in Maharashtra and the Krishna river basin has driven inflows that lifted Karnataka’s Almatti reservoir above the 100 TMC mark, with storage reported at 101.37 TMC on July 23. Officials say the reservoir could reach full capacity within a week if the current inflow rate continues.

By contrast, key Karnataka reservoirs in the Cauvery basin remain well below last year’s levels. The Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir recorded 92.16 ft (17.2 TMC) against its full level of 124.8 ft, Kabini held 13.12 TMC, Hemavathi stored 22.77 TMC and Tungabhadra only 28 TMC. The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) warned that the basin faces a distress year, citing deficient rainfall across the upper catchments and an Indian Meteorological Department forecast of below‑normal monsoon rains for the remainder of the season.

The CWMA directed Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to prioritize drinking‑water needs over irrigation, maintaining the current water‑sharing status under the Cauvery award. It noted that Karnataka released 2.5 TMCft to Tamil Nadu in June and 0.54 TMCft in July so far.