Bengaluru: The parched landscapes of Karnataka bear the heavy burden of a lingering drought, aggravated by the meagre rainfall of the preceding year, severe summer conditions, and substantial evaporation.
As a consequence, the water levels in the state’s major reservoirs have plummeted alarmingly, reaching less than 25% of their total storage capacity. The repercussions of this water scarcity ripple through various sectors, affecting both urban and rural communities.
Recent data reveals a stark reality as the 14 major reservoirs across Karnataka collectively hold a mere 217.75 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic) feet of water, a drastic decline from the 269 TMC feet recorded during the same period last year.
To put this into perspective, this current water volume accounts for just a quarter of the reservoirs’ combined capacity, which stands at 895.62 TMC feet.
Among the worst-affected reservoirs is the Tungabhadra Reservoir, with a cavernous gap between its total storage capacity of 105.79 TMC feet and the paltry 3.77 TMC feet it currently holds.
Similarly, the KRS and Kabini reservoirs, originally boasting capacities of 49.45 TMC and 19.52 TMC respectively, now languish with a mere fraction of their water levels, registering at 11.74 TMC and 7.72 TMC respectively.
Commenting on this distressing situation, Srinivas Reddy, former director of the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre, underscored that the typical decline in reservoir water levels from March to May exacerbates the existing crisis.
Traditionally, reservoirs are replenished twice a year, with significant inflows expected during the monsoon months of August and October or November, facilitating agricultural practices and ensuring a bountiful harvest.
However, this year has defied convention, as reservoirs received water only once. Moreover, water from reservoirs in the Cauvery basin has been diverted to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, exacerbating Karnataka’s water woes.
Reddy further attributed the dwindling water reserves to heightened evaporation rates induced by scorching summer temperatures. A grim statistic underscores this phenomenon: despite an average rainfall of 50 mm in April, approximately 5 mm of water evaporates daily, resulting in a monthly loss of 150 mm.
Adding to the predicament, Karnataka grapples with a relentless drought, compounding the challenges posed by depleted reservoir levels. Despite sporadic rainfall in certain regions, these isolated showers fail to translate into meaningful inflows into the reservoirs, exacerbating the state’s water deficit.
As Karnataka navigates through this water crisis, the state government must adopt proactive measures to mitigate the impacts of drought and safeguard the interests of both urban and rural communities reliant on this precious resource.
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