5.5L cusecs flood water released from Prakasam Barrage
Surplus water being released from Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada on ThursdayPhoto: Ch Venkata Mastan
Vijayawada: With major reservoirs in the Krishna basin reaching their full capacity, authorities are releasing large volumes of floodwater, putting downstream districts on high alert.
On Thursday, more than 2.37 lakh cusecs of water was released from the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir, while over 1.97 lakh cusecs were discharged from Srisailam. Downstream at the Prakasam Barrage near Vijayawada, outflows reached over 5.50 lakh cusecs by 5 p.m.
The continuous inflows are a result of heavy rains in the catchment areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka, which have been feeding the Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar reservoirs for over a week. Additionally, heavy rainfall in the Pulichintala reservoir catchment area has contributed to the massive inflows at the Prakasam Barrage.
In response, the water resources department has lifted all 70 crest gates of the Prakasam Barrage to release water into the sea. The Krishna and Guntur district administrations are on high alert, with the state government closely monitoring the situation.
Currently, key reservoirs like Pulichintala, Nagarjuna Sagar, and Srisailam hold over 80% of their storage capacity. Across the state’s three major river basins — Krishna, Godavari, and Penna — the total storage capacity is 908 TMC. As of Thursday evening, these reservoirs held 560 tmc ft. With more rain expected, officials anticipate further increases in water levels, particularly in the Godavari and Penna basins.
