Srisailam dam crisis: Water level falls below spillway

The Srisailam Dam, a vital reservoir on the Krishna River spanning Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, is facing a severe water crisis. The water level has dropped below the spillway, raising alarms over its ability to support irrigation, drinking water supply, and hydroelectric power generation across the region.

As of May 11, the dam’s water level stands at just 805 feet—well below the full reservoir level (FRL) of 885 feet and the dead storage threshold of 834 feet. With storage dwindling to a mere 30 thousand million cubic feet (TMC), compared to its total capacity of 215.8 TMC, the situation is increasingly dire.

Experts warn that if conditions do not improve soon, the repercussions could be long-lasting and far-reaching.

Insufficient upstream inflows

This sharp decline is attributed to a combination of insufficient upstream inflows, prolonged dry spells, and increased water releases during the previous season. With the spillway now dry, the dam has lost a critical mechanism for controlled water release, affecting downstream irrigation systems that serve nearly 1.2 million acres in the Krishna Delta and Rayalaseema.

Hydropower generation has also taken a hit. The dam, which has a total generation capacity of 1,670 MW, is now operating at minimal capacity due to the reduced water head.

Upstream reservoirs like Jurala and Almatti in Karnataka are also grappling with low storage due to below-average rainfall in the Krishna basin, compounding the crisis. In fact, a similar scenario unfolded in July 2023, when the dam’s water level dipped to 808.8 feet—below the dead storage mark—highlighting a recurring and worsening trend driven by erratic monsoons.

Water Resources Department officials have acknowledged the gravity of the situation but indicated that releases to the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir downstream are unlikely unless inflows improve.

The crisis has reignited disputes over inter-state water sharing, as Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra face mounting pressure to revisit existing agreements.