Bengaluru, 04 August (H.S.) :

The flow in the Cauvery at Biligundlu, the river’s entry point into Tamil Nadu, surged to 18,000 cusecs on Tuesday morning as increased releases from Karnataka reservoirs began reaching the State, raising hopes of a significant improvement in inflow into the Mettur Dam.

The sharp rise follows heavy rainfall in the Cauvery catchment areas of Karnataka, which has prompted increased discharge from the Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) reservoirs. Karnataka is currently releasing more than 27,000 cusecs from the two reservoirs, and officials expect the flow at Biligundlu to rise further.

The inflow at Biligundlu, which stood at just 500 cusecs on Monday evening, began increasing during the early hours of Tuesday. It rose to around 1,000 cusecs initially before climbing sharply to 8,000 cusecs by 7 a.m. By 10 a.m., the flow had more than doubled to 18,000 cusecs.

The fresh surge is expected to reach the Mettur reservoir by Tuesday evening or night, substantially increasing the dam’s inflow.

The Mettur Dam, a key source of irrigation for Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery delta districts, has so far been receiving only a meagre inflow. Its water level stood at 73.18 feet against the full reservoir level of 120 feet, with an inflow of just 68 cusecs. Around 1,500 cusecs was being discharged for downstream requirements.

The increased flow has brought some relief to farmers in the Cauvery delta, where concerns over water availability for cultivation have intensified in recent weeks.

Officials said sustained rainfall in Karnataka’s catchment areas and continued releases from Kabini and KRS could further strengthen the Cauvery flow into Tamil Nadu. Water levels and releases from the reservoirs, along with inflows at Biligundlu and Mettur, are being closely monitored.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman