Krishna Water Disputes tribunal award

• The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II in its final award, announced here on Thursday, has placed certain restrictions on the three riparian States in keeping with the assessment of the yearly yield of river waters on which the allocations were made.
• The Tribunal allocated 1,001 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of Krishna waters to Andhra Pradesh, 911 tmcft to Karnataka and 666 tmcft to Maharashtra. 
• It also allowed Karnataka to raise the water level in the Almatti dam to 524.256 metres from the current level of 519.6 metres. Karnataka shall release 8 tmcft to 10 tmcft to Andhra Pradesh from the reservoir in June and July as regulated releases.
• In the KWDT-II award, the Tribunal decided to distribute the Krishna river waters yield at 65 per cent dependability which was assessed at 2293 tmcft. In KWDT-I, the water yield was assessed at 75 per cent dependability yield assessed at 2173 tmcft.
• While directing the States to prepare 10 daily working tables and the Rule Curve to work out the utilisation of water allocation "strictly in accordance with the order," the Tribunal said Andhra Pradesh should not utilise more than the 1,001 tmcft allocated to it in an average year. This includes a further allocation of 9 tmc for the Jurala Project, 25 tmc for the Telugu Ganga project and 150 tmcft for the carryover storage in the Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar dams. These restrictions are inclusive of evaporation losses. "So far as the remaining water is concerned, as may be available, that may also be utilised by Andhra Pradesh, subject to any part of it being stored/trapped in future and/or till the next review," the order said.
• Karnataka shall not utilise more than 360 tmcft from the K-8 Tungabhadra sub-basin in a 65 per cent dependable water year or in an average water year. This will include allocation of 40 tmcft for the Upper Tunga, Upper Bhadra and Singatalur projects. The State shall not utilise more than 198 tmcft in a 65 per cent dependable water year and not more than 303 tmcft in an average water year from the Upper Krishna project, including an allocation of 130 tmcft for Upper Krishna Project State-III with the reservoir level of the Almatti dam at 524.256 metres.
• Karnataka shall not utilise more than 799 tmcft in a 65 per cent dependable water year and not more than 904 tmcft in an average water year.
• Maharashtra shall not utilise more than 98 tmcft in a 65 per cent dependable water year, including 3 tmcft allocated for the Kukadi Complex and 123 tmcft in an average water year from the Bhima sub-basin (K-5).
• The State shall not divert more than 92.5 tmcft, including that allowed by KWDT-I and further 25 tmcft allowed under KWDT-II, from the K-1 Upper Krishna sub-basin for the Koyna Hydel station for westward diversion in a 65 per cent dependable or average water year.
• Maharashtra shall not utilise more than 628 tmcft in a 65 per cent dependable year and not more than 663 tmcft in an average water year.The State has been restrained form diverting any water out of the basin, except from what has been allowed under the two awards.