Krishna and Godavari rivers continue to be in spate with the latter from the point of Kaleshwaram and downstream, and second warning level in force at Bhadrachalam as the flood level in the Godavari there crossing 51 feet and the flow in the river crossing 13-lakh cusecs mark.
The flood situation in Wardha and Wainganga rivers, which make Pranahitha in Telangana and which is contributing most to the flood level at Bhadrachalam downstream, is extreme and severe respectively in Maharashtra. The Central Water Commission (CWC) has indicated rising trend for the two rivers based on the IMD forecast and heavy rains in the catchment areas in Upper Godavari Basin.
Although flood level in Indravathi, which was severe on Wednesday afternoon at Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh, was receding, heavy contribution from Pranahitha was expected to keep the flood level at Bhadrachalam and downstream high with the IMD forecasting very heavy rains in the catchment areas in Maharashtra. A CWC advisory issued on Wednesday indicated that the flood level in the Godavari at Bhadrachalam was expected to be in above normal situation till August 15.
Flood at Medigadda Barrage was over 8.78 lakh cusecs at 9 p.m. on Wednesday. However, flood in the Godavari from Singur to Yellampally projects was receding with inflow coming down into all reservoirs. Flood to Singur was 7,950 cusecs, Nizamsagar 16,000 cusecs, Sriramsagar 32000 cusecs and Yellampally 89,600 cusecs. Water levels in Godavari in Andhra Pradesh were expected to rise further in the next two days.
10 Srisailam gates lifted
Discharge of flood from projects in the Krishna Basin, Almatti, Narayanpur and Tungabhadra in Karnataka, which get most of the inflows into projects in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, was 1.75 lakh, 1.76 lakh and 1.81 lakh cusecs respectively on Wednesday evening. The Bhima was also contributing flood to Jurala in the upstream of Srisailam.
Extremely heavy rainfall of 24.2 cm in Mahabaleshwar, 22.8 cm in Koyna and very heavy rainfall of 13.8 cm in Warana, all the major catchment areas of Upper Krishna Basin, was recorded in the 24-hour period till 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday and it is likely add to the flood downstream.
Srisaialam reservoir was getting over 3.60 lakh cusecs flood and discharge was over 3.17 lakh cusecs from 10 spillway gates lifted for 10 feet height each. Another 61,500 cusecs was being released with power generation by AP and Telangana and about 20,000 cusecs was being drawn by Pothireddypadu, Handri-Neeva and Kalwakurthy systems.
Sagar gates
The chances of lifting spillway gates of Nagarjunsagar on Thursday had become certain with its storage crossing 295/312 tmcft at 9 p.m. on Wednesday. Flood to the project was over 2.8 lakh cusecs and outflow was about 40,000 cusecs with power generation and release to canals.
