Fourteen crest gates of Nagarjuna Sagar dam lifted

Fourteen crest gates of Nagarjuna Sagar dam across the Krishna River were lifted on Tuesday to release water downstream.

This is the first time in 18 years that the gates of the project have been opened in July.

The water from the dam is usually released in August. However, huge inflows from the Srisailam dam following heavy rain in upstream Maharashtra and Karnataka have almost filled the reservoir early this year.

Irrigation Minister Uttam



Kumar Reddy and Minister for Scheduled Caste Development and Tribal Welfare Adluri Laxman Kumar oversaw the opening of 14 out of 26 crest gates to release water.

The gates were lifted to a height of five feet to release 78,060 cusecs of water downstream. The inflow into Nagarjuna Sagar was 2,28,900 cusecs on Tuesday morning, while the outflow was 1,18,790 cusecs.

The water was also being left in the left and right canals for irrigation and also for a hydroelectric power plant.