Hyderabad: Authorities lifted 18 crest gates of the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir on Monday to discharge floodwater downstream amid continued inflows from upstream catchments.
Irrigation officials said the water level reached 590 feet (312.04 TMC) at the dam, prompting the release of surplus inflows. Discharge levels touched 5.86 lakh cusecs through the open gates. The reservoir received steady inflows for the third consecutive day, officials confirmed.
Water was released downstream to the Pulichintala project to maintain reservoir levels and prevent overflow. Heavy inflows from the upstream Srisailam dam, released in phases, contributed to the rising levels. Officials confirmed inflows crossed 6 lakh cusecs, with discharge maintained through 18 gates to avoid pressure buildup. Water was also diverted for power generation.
Officials said the inflows are expected to continue over the next two days. “Nagarjuna Sagar is receiving heavy flood discharge from upstream. This release will irrigate over 26 lakh acres,” they stated.
Emergency alert on upstream inflows
Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection (HYDRAA) issued a precautionary alert as the upstream flood situation remained dynamic. Telangana irrigation minister, accompanied by officials from HYDRAA, reviewed safety protocols at the dam site.
The Central Water Commission predicted inflows from Srisailam would continue through the week. Officials from the state irrigation department are coordinating with district administrations in downstream Guntur and Nalgonda to manage any risk.
Authorities urged residents in low-lying areas to remain vigilant. The district collectors of Nalgonda and Guntur have been instructed to initiate safety measures and deploy emergency response teams where necessary.
