Monsoon vigorous in Kodagu; Cauvery in spate at many places
The Hindu
The monsoon is in a vigorous phase in Kodagu for the last few days as a result of which the Cauvery is in spate at many places. The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for Kodagu valid for the next two days. Incessant rain at Bhagamandala has led to the overflowing of the Cauvery at Triveni Sangama and heavy rain in the catchment area of the Harangi — a tributary of the Cauvery — has also augmented the inflow to the reservoir at Kushalnagar.
The monsoon is in a vigorous phase in Kodagu for the last few days as a result of which the Cauvery is in spate at many places.
The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for Kodagu valid for the next two days. Incessant rain at Bhagamandala has led to the overflowing of the Cauvery at Triveni Sangama and heavy rain in the catchment area of the Harangi — a tributary of the Cauvery — has also augmented the inflow to the reservoir at Kushalnagar.
The district received 78.8 mm of rainfall during the 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday and there was no respite from rain in the Cauvery catchment area, including Bhagamandala which received 150 mm of rainfall. Shanthalli, which was battered by heavy rain on Tuesday and received 230 mm of rainfall, continued to bear the brunt of nature’s fury and registered 234 mm of rainfall during the 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday. The volume of water in the Cauvery was very high and the river was flowing above the danger mark at Betri, Cheriyaparambu, and Kushalnagar.
The cumulative impact of heavy rain in the catchment areas of the Cauvery and the Harangi is that there is a surge in the river flow downstream. Consequently, the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) recorded an inflow at the rate of 36,674 cusecs at 8 a.m. on Wednesday. The rate of inflow is expected to be high during the next few days as a fallout of the heavy rain in Kodagu during the last 48 hours.
In the meantime, the reservoir level of the KRS was 110.62 ft on Wednesday as against the full reservoir level of 124.8 ft. There is no significant outflow from the reservoir — but for the release at 2,361 cusecs into the canal and for supplying drinking water — as the authorities are impounding water to ensure that the reservoir attains the FRL at the earliest.
Meanwhile, the rate of outflow from the Harangi dam, which exceeded 20,000 cusecs till Tuesday, was reduced to 8,000 cusecs on Wednesday. The reservoir level had reached 2,852.69 ft as against the maximum level of 2,859 ft at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
The Kabini reservoir in H.D. Kote continued to receive copious inflow consequent to heavy rain in the catchment area of Kapila river in Wayanad and surrounding regions in Kerala. The rate of inflow on Wednesday was at 33,640 cusecs and the rate of outflow from the reservoir was at 33,741 cusecs. The cumulative inflow into the KRS and Kabini reservoirs was in excess of 70,000 cusecs.