The Karnataka Irrigation Advisory Committee has approved a staggered schedule for releasing water into the Tungabhadra and Vijayanagara canal systems for 2026-27 monsoon crops and drinking-water needs, while reserving available reservoir water to fill tanks ahead of the summer season.
The decision was taken at the 127th meeting of the Irrigation Advisory Committee held at Vikas Soudha in Bengaluru. The meeting was chaired by Shivraj S. Tangadagi, minister for backward classes welfare, Kannada and culture, and the minister in charge of Koppal district. Legislators, members of the Legislative Council, deputy commissioners and farmer representatives participated in the discussions, according to the report.
The committee cited reduced rainfall attributed to the El Niño effect and low inflows into the Tungabhadra reservoir while finalising the release plan. It said the available water would have to be balanced between supporting monsoon crops and filling tanks needed for drinking water during the coming summer.
Water will be released into the Tungabhadra Left Bank Main Canal at 3,800 cusecs from October 21 to November 20. The schedule includes a saving of 200 cusecs from the Ganekal division. The Tungabhadra Right Bank High-Level Canal will receive 1,000 cusecs from October 21 to 24. Releases will then be stopped from October 25 to 31 before resuming from November 1 to 20 at 1,280 cusecs, or until water remains available.
The Tungabhadra Right Bank Low-Level Canal will receive water at 650 cusecs from October 21 to November 20, subject to availability. The Raya Basavanna Canal will receive 180 cusecs from October 21 until May 31, 2027, under a rotation system of 10 days of supply followed by 10 days without supply. The release will also depend on the quantity of water available.
The Vijayanagara Left Bank canals have been allotted 60 cusecs from October 21 until May 10, 2027, subject to reservoir availability. The schedules cover multiple canal systems and extend into the summer, but the committee has made clear that releases will be adjusted where water availability is insufficient.
The Karnataka Neeravari Nigam’s superintendent engineer appealed to farmers to understand the reservoir situation and cooperate with the irrigation department. The request comes as authorities seek to protect drinking-water reserves while providing limited irrigation supplies during a season marked by weaker inflows. The approved release schedule and the reservoir’s available storage will determine how consistently the canal allocations can be maintained.
