Mangaluru: Inflow into Thumbe dam, the major source of drinking water for Mangaluru city, Ullal and surrounding areas, is likely to be affected if Dakshina Kannada, which has received deficit rainfall, does not get more rain.
The district recorded a 29% deficit this season compared to the normal average. As of Saturday, it has received just 2,393.1mm against the normal rainfall of 3,388 mm, according to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC). Only two of the 30 crest gates are open to release excess water from the dam.
MCC deputy commissioner (development) Naresh P Shenoy told TOI that the dam reached its maximum level of six meters Saturday. However, he said, inflow has been affected by the deficit rainfall in the catchment areas of the Nethravati River. The dam received inflow till March last year,” he said. “We have to manage for the next eight months till the next monsoon,” he said.
Mangaluru city, which depends primarily on the Thumbe dam in Bantwal taluk for drinking water, expects a good retreating monsoon. This year, the rainfall received so far is much less compared to previous years. A few days of rain after a recent dry spell led to inflow into the dam. If we don’t get rainfall in the next spell, inflow will reduce further. Shree Padre, editor of ‘Adike Patrike’, a Kannada agricultural magazine, and a rainwater-harvesting expert, suggested that people save water, given the water shortage even before summer.