Rains Recede in Kodagu, But Reservoir Inflows Remain Steady Due to Early Monsoon Surge

There was no rain recorded in major regions including Madikeri, Kasaba, Napoklu, and Ammathi in Virajpet taluk.(File Photo)

MADIKERI: After a week of torrential downpour that marked an early onset of the southwest monsoon, rains have largely subsided across Kodagu and parts of south-interior Karnataka, providing a temporary breather to residents. As of Sunday, drier conditions prevailed over the region, with several parts of Kodagu receiving no rainfall in the 24-hour period ending 8.30 a.m.

According to official data, the average rainfall in Kodagu from 8.30 a.m. on Saturday to the same time on Sunday was a mere 0.24 mm. There was no rain recorded in major regions including Madikeri, Kasaba, Napoklu, and Ammathi in Virajpet taluk. Similarly, Somwarpet and Kushalnagar taluks remained dry, while Ponnampet taluk registered only a negligible 0.2 mm of rainfall.

Despite this lull, the week-long spell of heavy and widespread rains in the district’s hilly terrain which forms the catchment area for major rivers like the Cauvery and Hemavati has ensured sustained inflow into the downstream reservoirs. Officials note that runoff from saturated catchment zones and upstream contributions are maintaining a steady supply of water into key reservoirs even as the rainfall intensity temporarily dips.

Reservoirs in Cauvery basin receive steady inflows:

As of 8 a.m. on June 1, the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir in Mandya district was receiving an inflow of 17,472 cusecs. The water level at KRS stood at 103.70 feet, compared to its full reservoir level (FRL) of 124.80 feet. The current storage was 25.85 tmcft against the reservoir’s gross capacity of 49.45 tmcft.

Similarly, the Hemavati reservoir at Gorur in Hassan district reported an inflow of 7,992 cusecs as on May 31. The water level was measured at 2,905.85 feet, short of its FRL of 2,922 feet, while the storage stood at 23.66 tmcft out of a possible 37.10 tmcft.

In Mysuru district, the Kabini reservoir continues to benefit from significant rainfall in its upstream catchment area in Wayanad, Kerala. As on June 1, Kabini was receiving 14,521 cusecs of water, and its outflow had been increased to 8,000 cusecs to regulate water levels. The storage was recorded at 17.36 tmcft, nearing its gross storage capacity of 19.52 tmcft.

At the Harangi reservoir in Kodagu, inflow was 3,164 cusecs with the reservoir level at 2,849.85 feet against the full level of 2,859 feet. The live storage stood at 5.62 tmcft, while the gross capacity is 8.50 tmcft.

The cumulative storage in all four major Cauvery basin reservoirs KRS, Hemavati, Kabini, and Harangi stood at 70.52 tmcft as of May 31. This is a promising figure compared to the combined gross capacity of 114.57 tmcft and provides an early cushion for the water needs of the Cauvery basin states as the monsoon season progresses.

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