Karimnagar district is likely to emerge as a water hub with existing and ongoing irrigation projects, especially the Mid-Manair Reservoir (MMR) developed as water distributor junction for Karimnagar, Medak, Rangareddy, Nalgonda and Warangal districts.
About half of the state will receive irrigation and drinking water from MMR.
According to irrigation authorities, once all the projects are completed, the storage capacity will almost equal the Sriramsagar reservoir (SRSP) in Nizamabad district which has a 90 tmcft storage capacity.
Chief engineer (projects) of irrigation and Command Area Development G Anil Kumar told Express that the ongoing MMR project would have a capacity of 25.879 tmcft drawing water from the flood flow canal of SRSP. In future water will be lifted from the Sripada Yellampalli project which has a storage capacity of 20.175 tmcft of water.
The Lower Manair Dam (LMD), located on the outskirts of Karimangar city, has a capacity of 24 tmcft. The cumulative storage capacity of these projects is 70 tmcft and will go up to 90 tmcft when the Pranahita-Chevella lift irrigation project is completed. The total ayucut under this project would be 9 lakh acres, Anil Kumar added.
The Gouravelli reservoir capacity will rise to 9 tmcft from the present 1.41 tmcft and that of Gandipalli to 1 tmcft from 0.16 tmcft. These projects too will draw MMR water. At present, plenty of water is available in the Yellampalli reservoir and is being used to irrigate some land in Manthani and also for the NTPC power project.
Source: The New Indian Express