Published May 23, 2025 | 12:30 PM ⚊ Updated May 23, 2025 | 12:30 PM
Nagarjuna Sagar Dam. (Wikimedia)
Synopsis: To address drinking water shortages, the Krishna River Management Board allocated 14.26 TMCFT of water to Telangana (10.26 TMCFT) and Andhra Pradesh (4 TMCFT) from Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar reservoirs. Water use is restricted to drinking purposes, with a 2.71 TMCFT buffer reserved. Releases will be monitored, and both states must confirm compliance through a joint statement.
To address the current drinking water shortages of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) allocated 14.26 Tmcft of Krishna River water in Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam to the Telugu states.
The KRMB issued an order on Thursday, 22 May, allocating 10.26 TMCFT water to Telangana and 4 TMCFT water to Andhra Pradesh.
As of 6 am on May 21, 2025, the available water at Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar reservoirs was 8.422 TMCFT above the minimum drawdown level (MDDL) of 800 ft (unchanged) and 12.793 TMCFT above the MDDL of 505 ft (previously 510 ft), respectively, totalling a net availability of 16.972 TMCFT of water.
The remaining 2.712 TMCFT will be reserved as a buffer to meet unforeseen drinking water needs until sufficient inflows are received.
During the KRMB’s meeting on 5 May, Telangana requested 10.26 TMCFT, while Andhra Pradesh, absent from the meeting, submitted a letter on 20 May requesting 10 TMCFT.
The board issued directives for judicious water use, stressing that releases from both reservoirs should be used solely for drinking water. It recommended releasing water through powerhouses to maximize power generation benefits.
Effective immediately, water from Nagarjuna Sagar Project (NSP) will be released at 5,500 cubic feet per second (cusec) continuously through its right main canal until Andhra Pradesh receives its 4 TMCFT allocation.
Srisailam reservoir will be operated to meet Telangana’s water needs while maintaining a minimum water level of 800 ft MDDL until 31 July 2025.
The chief engineers of both states are responsible for ensuring the judicious delivery of water and must submit a joint statement to the KRMB to confirm compliance.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
