Published Aug 11, 2026 | 6:28 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 11, 2026 | 6:30 PM
Cauvery River.
Synopsis: The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Tuesday directed Karnataka to release 1 TMC (roughly 12,000 cusecs) of Cauvery water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from 12 August. The decision followed a recommendation by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) earlier in the day, amid Tamil Nadu’s allegation that Karnataka had failed to comply with an earlier direction to release 3,500 cusecs daily.
The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), chaired by S.K. Haldar, on Tuesday evening, 11 August, directed Karnataka to release 1 TMC (roughly 12,000 cusecs) of Cauvery water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from 12 August.
The decision followed a recommendation made by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) at its meeting earlier on Tuesday after Tamil Nadu complained that Karnataka had failed to comply with an earlier release direction.
The CWRC had on 28 July directed Karnataka to ensure a flow of 3,500 cusecs at Biligundlu for 15 days from 29 July, a direction subsequently upheld by the CWMA.
The decision followed a recommendation made by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) at its meeting earlier on Tuesday.
Tamil Nadu, however, claimed that the actual flow at Biligundlu was only 158 to 550 cusecs between 29 July and 2 August, far below the stipulated 3,500 cusecs.
Karnataka has maintained that it is facing its own water requirements and has raised concerns over reservoir levels and inflows. The State had earlier said improved rainfall had increased water availability and that it was moving towards compliance with the previous order.
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The fresh order comes amid continuing disagreements between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the quantity of water to be released from Karnataka’s Cauvery basin reservoirs.
Tamil Nadu has been seeking higher releases, citing its water requirements, while Karnataka has maintained that it is facing its own water needs and has raised concerns over reservoir levels and inflows.
The earlier direction to release 3,500 cusecs of water, which was later upheld by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on 28 July, had triggered protests across Karnataka, with appeals to Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to refuse the release.
Shivakumar, in turn, convened an all-party meeting on 2 August to discuss the State’s response to the CWMA directive.
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As of 31 July, Karnataka’s four major Cauvery basin reservoirs—Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS), Kabini, Hemavathy and Harangi—together held 63.23 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water against a combined capacity of 114.57 TMC.
The reservoirs were at 55.2 percent of their total storage capacity, according to data from the Karnataka Water Resources Information System (KWRIS).
Officials said Karnataka’s concern is not the immediate availability of water but whether the present reservoir storage will be sufficient to meet drinking water and irrigation requirements if the southwest monsoon remains weaker than normal.
The Cauvery reservoirs are the primary source of drinking water for Bengaluru, Mysuru and Mandya, besides supporting irrigation during the ongoing kharif season.
At the same time, Karnataka is facing a significant rainfall deficit. With reservoir levels well below those of last year and uncertainty over future rainfall, releasing additional water now could reduce the State’s buffer if monsoon conditions do not improve.
(Edited by Dese Gowda with inputs from Keerthivas and Subhash Chandra Bose)
