The gross storage at the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir across the river Cauvery was 20.54 thousand million cubic ft (tmc ft) on September 27, 2023, against the gross capacity of 49.45 tmc ft. This is the second lowest level of gross storage in the dam since 2011.
The previous lowest was in 2016, when the gross storage in the reservoir on the same day had dipped to 14.84 tmc ft owing to monsoon failure.
Details of quantum of water in the reservoir on the same day since 2011 indicates that the storage was comfortable and above 43 tmc ft in most years barring in 2015 and 2016 while it was 35.35 tmc ft in 2021. In 2015, the gross storage was 25.13 tmc ft on September 27 but heavy rains in the post-monsoon season helped shore up the storage to nearly 33 tmc ft by November giving a breather to the State.
