Upper Bhadra Begins: 3 TMC Water Trial Flows Into Chitradurga Canal

The trial release of water from the Bhadra reservoir into the Chitradurga Branch Canal under Karnataka’s Upper Bhadra Project commenced on September 6, 2026.

As part of this initial test phase, an estimated 3 TMC of water is being pumped from the project’s intake point. Designed as a major lift irrigation scheme, the Upper Bhadra Project targets 12 drought-prone taluks across Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Tumakuru, and Davanagere districts. The overarching blueprint aims to supply micro-irrigation to approximately 2.25 lakh hectares and recharge groundwater by filling 367 local tanks. However, because localized tank-filling networks and micro-irrigation infrastructure remain incomplete, the current water flow is limited to a partial trial run.

Full-scale and permanent water delivery will follow once pending canal distribution networks and pending structural works are finalized, representing a major step forward for agricultural and drinking water security in central Karnataka.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.