Harangi Reservoir Fills to Brim in October Amid Record Rainfall, Excess Water Released

For the first time in recorded history, the Harangi reservoir in Kodagu district reached its full capacity during the month of October on Friday, a remarkable deviation from typical non-monsoon patterns driven by persistent heavy rainfall across the basin. The water level in the dam, a critical irrigation and hydropower asset on the Harangi River—a tributary of the Cauvery—hit 2,858.09 feet, just shy of its maximum height of 2,859 feet, prompting authorities to release over 5,000 cusecs of excess water into downstream rivers to safeguard the structure.

Executive Engineer IK Puttaswamy of the Harangi Irrigation Department attributed the surge to a week-long downpour in the catchment areas, noting that inflows have steadily risen over the past five months. This unprecedented filling underscores Kodagu's erratic weather this year, where the district has already logged 2,998.59 mm of precipitation from January alone, surpassing annual averages and fuelling concerns over flood risks in the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats region.

The Harangi Dam, commissioned in 1972 as part of the Cauvery Basin Project, plays a pivotal role in irrigating over 100,000 acres across Kodagu and neighbouring Mysuru districts, while generating 9 MW of hydroelectric power. Constructed as an earth-cum-gravity structure with a gross storage of 99.04 thousand million cubic feet, it rarely approaches full capacity outside the June-September monsoon, making October's overflow a rare meteorological anomaly. Puttaswamy emphasised that the controlled release prioritises dam safety amid swelling inflows, with real-time monitoring ensuring minimal downstream disruption. Local farmers, who rely on the reservoir for paddy and coffee cultivation in this spice-rich hill district, view the event with mixed relief—abundant water secures rabi crops but heightens landslide vulnerabilities in the rain-saturated terrain.

Kodagu's rainfall this year has been exceptionally intense, with several taluks exceeding 7,600 mm since May, far outpacing the district's long-term average of around 3,000 mm annually. This deluge, linked to shifting monsoon patterns possibly exacerbated by climate change, has triggered over 200 landslides and disrupted connectivity on key ghat roads like the Madikeri-Mangaluru highway.

The India Meteorological Department has issued orange alerts for the coming days, forecasting continued showers that could push neighbouring reservoirs like Kabini and Krishnarajasagar toward capacity, straining interstate water-sharing agreements under the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. Environmentalists warn that such extremes threaten Kodagu's biodiversity hotspot status, home to endangered species and sacred groves, urging sustainable water management to mitigate erosion and habitat loss.

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As the reservoir stabilises, officials are coordinating with the Central Water Commission for hydrological data sharing, while community leaders advocate for enhanced early-warning systems and afforestation drives. This October milestone not only highlights Kodagu's hydrological resilience but also serves as a clarion call for adaptive strategies in an era of unpredictable monsoons, ensuring the "Scotland of India" balances its water bounty with ecological stewardship for future generations.

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