The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), which met in Delhi on Tuesday, has endorsed the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s direction on Monday to Karnataka to ensure water release to Tamil Nadu at a rate of 9,000 cusecs a day for the next 15 days.
According to the CWMA’s order, the releases, which total up to 11.66 tmcft, should commence from August 25(a flow of 11,574 cusecs of water for 24 hours equals one tmcft).
Earlier, Karnataka appealed to the CWMA to reduce the directed quantum of flows from 9,000 cusecs to 6,000 cusecs per day, by recognising its severe basin distress as well as compliance with the earlier directions. It appealed to the authority to adopt a cautious approach while asking for any further releases and re-assess the situation after observing the forthcoming northeast monsoon.
Karnataka submitted before the CWMA that its Cauvery basin area was facing a severe hydrological distress due to which cumulative inflows into its four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin were about 49.18% below the 30-year average.
Excess released
Karnataka stated that it had fully complied with the earlier order of the CWMA. In fact, Biligundlu had realised 18.748 tmcft of water against the ordered 15.940 tmcft from July 29 to August 23, marking an excess release of 2.807 tmcft, it said. It expressed concern that rapidly declining Inflows had seriously constrained any further releases from its reservoirs.
Expressing concern that its own irrigation requirement had not been fulfilled, Karnataka said that only 5.65 tmcft of water had been released from its reservoirs for irrigation purposes as against the normal kharif requirement of 111.52 tmcft. Even if the authorities consider the requirement at a distress rate of 49.45%, the State would need an additional 50.72 tmcft of water for irrigation purposes, it noted.
Contrasting its distress situation with that of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka argued that the neighbouring State had already taken up Kuruvai cultivation extensively, on about 8.41 lakh acres.
Karnataka reiterated its stand that while the weather forecast had indicated that monsoon was not favourable to it, the forthcoming northeast monsoon was likely to benefit Tamil Nadu.
On its part, Tamil Nadu claimed that there was a backlog of 17.49 tmcft till August 23 from Karnataka. It appealed to CWMA to direct Karnataka to ensure a total release of 28.386 tmcft with effect from August 24 to September 7, comprising backlog of 17.49 tmcft and pro-rata share of 10.896 tmcft.
After hearing both the sides, the CWMA directed Karnataka to ensure releases at a rate of 9,000 cusecs a day for the next 15 days to Tamil Nadu that accounts for 11.66 tmcft.
Published – August 25, 2026 09:42 pm IST
