Officials released 2,000 cusecs of water into the Kakatiya main canal from the Sriram Sagar Project (SRSP) in Telangana at 9.45 am on Saturday, with the discharge expected to be increased gradually. Irrigation authorities have simultaneously urged farmers to use the available water carefully, citing limited storage in the project and the impact of El Nino.
The release followed instructions from higher authorities, according to officials cited by Deccan Chronicle. The initial discharge into the canal was fixed at 2,000 cusecs, while further increases are planned in stages. The release is intended to supply water through the Kakatiya canal system, although the report does not specify the number of beneficiaries or the precise area expected to receive water.
V Jagdish, Superintending Engineer of the Pochampad Irrigation Circle, advised farmers to use the released water properly and judiciously. His warning was linked to the water position at SRSP, where officials said supplies were not sufficient because of the El Nino effect.
The Sriram Sagar Project is a major irrigation reservoir in Telangana, and its operating position affects the scheduling and distribution of water through connected canal systems. In this instance, officials’ decision to begin with a controlled discharge and increase it gradually indicates that the release is being managed against the project’s available water balance.
Officials said total inflows into SRSP from June 1, 2026, stood at 42.618 TMC, while total outflows during the same period were 13.408 TMC. TMC, or thousand million cubic feet, is a standard measure used for reservoir storage and water releases. The figures provide the reported inflow and outflow position but do not establish the reservoir’s live storage, current capacity utilisation or the duration for which the canal release can be maintained.
The reported figures also show that inflows into the project have exceeded outflows since June 1. However, the officials’ caution indicates that the absolute availability of water, rather than the inflow-outflow difference alone, remains central to decisions on canal operations. The report does not provide the project’s present storage level, rainfall data or a revised irrigation schedule.
For farmers dependent on the Kakatiya main canal, the immediate operational issue will be the timing and reliability of the water supply as the discharge is increased. The authorities have not announced a fixed schedule for the next increase or stated how long the initial release of 2,000 cusecs will continue.
The next steps, according to the report, are a gradual enhancement of the discharge and continued advice from irrigation officials to use the released water judiciously. The project’s storage position and subsequent operational decisions will determine the extent of water available through the canal system.
