Brief
Cauvery reservoirs at half of last year’s levels as monsoon ends
Live storage in the four main Cauvery reservoirs is down to roughly 40% of last year’s level, officials say.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Bengaluru – As the southwest monsoon winds down, the four main reservoirs on Karnataka’s Cauvery basin hold 59.5 tmcft of water, about half of the 107.4 tmcft recorded a year earlier, according to data for September 28 released by state officials.
Live or usable storage stands at 36.2 tmcft, roughly 40% of the 84.1 tmcft recorded in the same period last year. Hemavathy reservoir is at 41% of its gross capacity, KRS at 55%, Kabini at 58% (with only about 1.5 tmcft of live storage usable), while Harangi fares better at 73%.
Manoj Meena, secretary for disaster management and drought, said rainfall in the basin has been deficient and arrived too late, warning of a sharp drop in farm production. He noted that 220 of Karnataka’s 240 taluks received less rain than normal, marking the second‑worst shortfall in five decades.
Key facts
- Four Cauvery reservoirs hold 59.5 tmcft as of September 28, 2026 (newindianexpress.com)
- Live storage is 36.2 tmcft, about 40% of last year's level (newindianexpress.com)
- Hemavathy, KRS, Kabini, and Harangi reservoirs are at 41%, 55%, 58%, and 73% of gross capacity respectively (newindianexpress.com)
- Manoj Meena said rainfall was deficient and late, affecting 220 of 240 taluks (newindianexpress.com)
Sources
- [1] newindianexpress.com — originally reported as “Monsoon nearly over, Cauvery reservoirs at half of last year’s levels”
