Bengaluru: Even as the southwest monsoon has officially entered Karnataka, inadequate rainfall across the Cauvery and Krishna river basins has triggered fresh concerns of a difficult drought-like situation in the state.
Water levels in major reservoirs, including Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS), Kabini, Hemavathi and Almatti, have dropped alarmingly, raising fears over drinking water availability, irrigation needs and agricultural activities in the coming months.
Worrying situation in Cauvery basin
The situation is particularly worrying in the Cauvery basin, which serves as the lifeline for southern Karnataka. Despite entering the second week of June, the region has not received the expected monsoon showers, leaving reservoirs with critically low storage levels and farmers staring at an uncertain future.
The water level at the KRS reservoir in Mandya district has fallen to 81.36 feet against its full reservoir level of 124.80 feet. During the same period last year, the reservoir had recorded 108.64 feet, enabling authorities to perform the traditional Bagina ceremony in June itself.
Officials said the reservoir currently holds 11.399 TMC of water, but nearly 5 TMC constitutes dead storage, leaving only around 6 TMC available for use. The present inflow stands at a mere 581 cusecs, reflecting the weak monsoon activity in the catchment areas.
Declining storage
The declining storage has also raised concerns over Karnataka’s ability to meet downstream water commitments. Last year, the state had released nearly 30 TMC of additional water to Tamil Nadu. This year, however, even supplying the stipulated quantity could become a challenge if rainfall does not improve soon.
The situation at the Kabini reservoir in Mysuru district is even more alarming. The water level has dropped to 52.16 feet against a maximum capacity of 84 feet.
The reservoir currently stores only 4.68 TMC of water, while officials indicate that the available live storage has virtually reached zero. In comparison, Kabini had 15.89 TMC of water during the corresponding period last year.
Due to the shortage, authorities have already suspended water release through both the left and right bank canals, affecting irrigation prospects in downstream regions.
At Hemavathi reservoir
The Hemavathi reservoir at Gorur in Hassan district is also witnessing declining storage levels. Against a total capacity of 37.103 TMC, the reservoir presently contains 14.586 TMC, of which only 10.214 TMC is considered usable.
Agriculture experts warn that if rainfall remains scarce in the catchment regions of Mudigere and Sakleshpur, not only Hassan district but also parts of Mandya, Mysuru and Tumakuru could face serious irrigation challenges during the cropping season.
The monsoon slowdown has impacted North Karnataka as well. Poor rainfall in Mahabaleshwar, the source region of the Krishna River in neighbouring Maharashtra, has directly affected inflows into the Almatti reservoir in Vijayapura district.
Officials said inflow into the reservoir is currently negligible. The water level stands at 508.26 metres, significantly lower than the 514.72 metres recorded during the same period last year.
Drinking water shortage to surface if rainfall deficit continues
If the rainfall deficit continues, several districts dependent on the Krishna basin could face drinking water shortages in the coming months.
The rainfall deficit has severely affected agricultural operations across Karnataka. Farmers in many districts are postponing sowing activities due to inadequate soil moisture and uncertainty over water availability.
In Mandya district, authorities had set a cultivation target of 2.07 lakh hectares for the kharif season. However, only about 11,138 hectares have been brought under cultivation so far.
A similar trend is being observed in Vijayapura and other districts, where monsoon sowing remains far below expectations. Agricultural experts warn that prolonged delays could affect crop yields and farm incomes, particularly if rainfall does not improve over the next few weeks.
With reservoirs running low, inflows remaining weak and sowing activities lagging behind schedule, both farmers and water managers are anxiously watching the skies. Unless the monsoon gains strength soon, Karnataka could be headed toward a challenging season marked by water scarcity and agricultural distress.
