THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

Tungabhadra Dam: A new era of India's water cooperation The inauguration of the 33 newly installed crest gates at the Tungabhadra Dam on June 25 marked more than a routine irrigation milestone. The ceremony, attended by the Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, along with the Union Jal Shakti Minister, symbolised rare political and administrative cooperation over a shared river. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu described the occasion as “history in the making”, saying the completion of the crest gate replacement marked a new era of cooperation in India’s river management. The event came nearly two years after one of the crest gates was washed away during the August 2024 floods, triggering anxiety among lakhs of farmers dependent on the reservoir. Why is the Tungabhadra Dam so important? The Tungabhadra Dam, situated near Hosapete in Karnataka, is one of India’s largest multipurpose river valley projects. Built across the Tungabhadra River, it provides irrigation, drinking water, hydroelectric power and industrial water supply. The reservoir is the lifeline of the drought-prone districts of Ballari, Vijayanagara, Koppal and Raichur in Kar…

Tunga Reservoir Gates Opened to Release Excess Water Karnataka · 5 July 2026 Crest Gates of Tunga Reservoir Opened to Release Excess Water Ten crest gates of the Tunga reservoir at Gajanur in Shivamogga district were lifted to release excess water, as heavy rainfall in the catchment area caused the water level to approach the full reservoir level. Bhasha Times Newsroom Read in हिन्दी Share Ten of the 22 crest gates of the Tunga reservoir at Gajanur near Shivamogga were lifted on Sunday, July 5, 2026, to release excess water. The decision came after heavy inflow caused by rain in the catchment area prompted officers to open the gates. The water level in the reservoir stood at 588.18 metres, just below the full reservoir level of 588.24 metres. As of Sunday morning, the inflow into the reservoir was 20,565 cusecs, while 18,051 cusecs were released downstream into the river. Officers began lifting the gates on Saturday evening, opening two gates at 6 p.m. The count was gradually raised to 10 gates by Sunday afternoon. The reservoir has a gross storage capacity of 3.24 TMC, with the gross storage standing at 3.206 TMC as of Sunday. Last year on July 5, the water level stood at 587.57 …

Tunga Bhadra Reservoir: Crest gate collapse raises concerns The Tunga Bhadra Reservoir, one of Karnataka’s largest and most significant water bodies, is facing a major crisis following the collapse of one of its crest gates. This has led to an uncontrolled release of water, resulting in fears of floods in the lower regions and raising serious concerns about water management and irrigation in the state. Constructed in 1953, the reservoir holds a pivotal place in Karnataka's history. With a storage capacity of 105.78 TMC (thousand million cubic feet), it serves as a crucial water source for irrigation, drinking water and power generation for both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Managed by states The dam is jointly managed by the governments of Karnataķa, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh with the supervision of the Central Water Commission. The responsibility of maintenance is divided between the states. The reservoir, with a water level maintained at 1,633 feet, was almost at full capacity when the incident occurred. On August 10, the inflow to the reservoir was recorded at 40,925 cusecs, and 28,133 cusecs were being released. The collapse of the 19th crest gate on A…

DKS inaugurates 33 spillway gates of Tungabhadra Dam Chief minister D K Shivakumar said on Thursday that Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had reached a consensus to protect the interests of farmers in the Tungabhadra river basin, as the state inaugurated 33 newly replaced spillway gates at the Tungabhadra reservoir. Speaking at a public function at the Government High School grounds in Munirabad, Shivakumar said discussions among the three states had centred on securing irrigation for farming communities and preserving water in the reservoir. “We discussed how to safeguard and protect farming families, including the appeal submitted by farmer leaders regarding saving the 33 TMC of water in this dam. After lengthy discussion on all the options, including the Navali parallel reservoir and the matter of desilting, we have all arrived at a consensus opinion,” said the CM. “This decision will be announced by the Union Jal Shakti minister himself. The discussion we held today over the course of an hour will go down in history in the country’s irrigation and federal systems. Under the spirit of ‘Our Water, Our Right,’ we have taken a historic decision to protect the farmers of …

Tungabhadra Dam Big Update: Govt Approves New Chains for All 33 Gates ... NewsFlash Daily™ 26 March After crest gate failure sparked panic, Karnataka government sanctions Rs. 5.5 crore extra to replace chains along with gates; work set for May-end completion Koppal : In a major relief for farmers across four districts, the government has announced a crucial upgrade to the Tungabhadra Dam, deciding to replace not just the damaged crest gates but also the old chains, addressing long-standing safety and operational concerns. The decision comes in the wake of the crest gate No.19 failure on August 10, 2024, when the gate collapsed during the night, triggering panic among farmers dependent on the reservoir. Experts later identified the aging infrastructure and chain dislinking as the primary reasons behind the incident. Government Revises Earlier Plan Initially, the government had approved a Rs. 42 crore project to replace 33 gates, but planned to retain the old chains, drawing sharp criticism from farmers. Responding to strong opposition, the government has now revised its decision. “Both gates and chains will be replaced to ensure long-term safety and efficiency,” officials confirmed…

7 Tungabhadra Dam gates lose up to 90% strength; officials warn of ... News · 16th August 2025 · 1 min read 7 Tungabhadra Dam gates lose up to 90% strength; officials warn of collapse risk The Tungabhadra reservoir faces a serious safety concern as seven of its crest gates have suffered major structural damage, with officials confirming that six of them have lost 80–90% of their strength. Authorities have completely stopped water release from gates 11, 18, 20, 24, 27, and 28, warning that they could break if operated. Gate number 4, also damaged, can only be lifted up to two feet. The remaining gates are functioning at only 50–60% of their original strength. Dam Safety Review Committee officials said the situation requires urgent attention, noting that last year, gate number 19 was washed away during heavy discharge and had to be temporarily replaced after a week-long operation. Although the gate was refitted, it continues to leak. Technical officer Raghavendra from the Tungabhadra Board stated that inflows are being managed carefully and storage is being maintained at around 80 tmcft against the maximum 105 tmcft to avoid pressure on the weakened gates. See also News · 3rd July 2…

Tungabhadra dam gets new crest gates, but weak monsoon threatens paddy crop, survival of rice mills in Karnataka A weak monsoon has left the Tungabhadra reservoir nearly empty, threatening not only this year’s paddy crop but also an entire economy built around premium Sona Masuri rice

Tungabhadra dam gates malfunction, repairs on urgent priority The gates can't be opened Tungabhadra dam gates malfunction, repairs on urgent priority India Aug 18, 2025 Seven crest gates at Karnataka's Tungabhadra dam have stopped working, putting thousands of farmers and residents on edge about possible flooding. Water Resources Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi says the gates can't be opened and need urgent repairs. An expert team is already on site to figure out fixes. Repairs are urgently needed With the malfunction, officials doubled water release from 40,000 to nearly 90,000 cusecs in just one day—prompting flood alerts downstream in Karnataka , Andhra Pradesh , and Telangana. Repairs are urgently needed. People remember a similar scare last year when a gate broke off; now with heavy monsoon rains, locals are pushing hard for quick action to keep their water supply—and safety—intact.