55 tmc ft of Somasila dam water for 5.51 lakh acres in Nellore

NELLORE: After the Irrigation Advisory Board’s decision to provide 84.6 tmc feet of water for 8.46 lakh acres in Nellore district this year, officials have supported the move saying that there is adequate water in the reservoirs due to heavy rainfall in Rayalaseema region this year. They have decided to allocate 55.1 tmc feet of water for 5.51 lakh acres of land under Somasila reservoir and 29.5 tmc feet of water for 2.95 lakh acres in Tirupati district under Kandaleru reservoir.

The officials are also planning to promote alternative crop methods in a big way for soil protection and water conservation. At present, Somasila reservoir has reached the storage level of 66.192 tmc ft against its full capacity of 77.988 tmc ft. 

Usually, Somasila reservoir receives inflows from the upper catchment areas of Kadapa, Anantapur and other parts and depending on the inflows, the irrigation officials release water to Kandaleru dam, North canal, South canal and Pennar delta every year.

The officials are expecting an inflow of 6.868 tmc ft in November and 3.795 tmc ft in December this year. Agriculture officials are expecting cultivation of crops in more than 5.50 lakh acres in the district this year. 

“There will be no problem for the farming activity this year as we are expecting sufficient rainfall in the coming days. We are focusing on expediting the pending repairs to canals and modernisation of irrigation sources. The crop season during Kharif has been advanced a bit early due to the weather vagaries,” said District Collector KVN Chakradhar Babu.