• Incident: A flood alert was issued downstream of the Tungabhadra dam after one of its 33 crest gates was washed away on August 10.
• Inspection: Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar visited the site for assessment.

HOW THE GATE BROKE

• Gate Details: The dam has 33 vertical lift gates operated from an overhead bridge.
• Incident: On August 10, 10 spillway gates were operated, with the No. 19 gate washing away due to a broken chain link.
• Aftermath: The force of the water swept the 60-foot-by-20-foot, 20-tonne gate 500 feet away.

WATER LEVELS IN RESERVOIR

• Current Levels: On August 10, the reservoir was at its maximum level of 1,633 ft, holding 105.8 TMC ft.
• Inflows/Outflows: Inflows were at 40,925 cusecs, and outflows at 28,133 cusecs.
• Silt Accumulation: Accumulated silt fills around 30% of the dam’s capacity. A balancing reservoir is proposed to address this issue.

TUNGABHADRA RIVER AND DAM

• River Origin: Formed by the Tunga and Bhadra streams, the Tungabhadra River flows into the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh.
• Dam Details: The dam covers 378 sq km in Karnataka’s Vijayanagar district, supplying water for irrigation, industry, and drinking in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
• Historical Background: Conceived in 1860 and completed in 1953, the dam was a joint project of the Hyderabad and Madras governments.

REPAIRS AND CONCERNS

• Repair Plan: Repairs can begin only after 60-65% of the water is discharged. A new stop lock gate will be fabricated and installed within a week.
• Cultivators’ Concerns: Upstream cultivators fear irrigation impacts, while downstream cultivators worry about potential flooding due to increased outflows.
• Weather Forecast: No heavy rain is forecast, though rainfall could worsen the situation.