With the flood flows into Srisailam project continue to increase significantly, authorities have lifted 8 gates of the project releasing water to the downstream Nagarjuna Sagar on river Krishna on Tuesday.

This is first time during the current rainy season that the Nagarjuna Sagar was receiving such a heavy inflow.

While the inflow into Srisailam project in Kurnool had reached 2.35 lakh cusecs, the outflow was 3.09 lakh cusecs. 

The total water level in Srisailam stood at 884 ft and water storage was 210 tmcft.

With the lifting of 8 gates Krishna was flowing at its glorious best bringing a new life to the Srisailam project and thousands of tourists have rushed to see the beauty of the mighty river.

Nagarjuna Sagar on the other hand was bone dry for the past several years due to the insufficient rains and low inflows.

The project was presently getting 2.66 lakh cusecs of water. Against a total capacity of 590 feet, the present level was 554.8 feet. Against a total capacity of 312.04 tmc, project today had 220.47 tmcft of water.

If the present levels  of inflow continue officials hope that Nagarjuna Sagar will reach full reservoir level in a week.

The dramatic change thanks to heavy rains of last fortnight and copious inflows has brought a relief to the government's of both the Telugu states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh putting a temporary end to their bickering on sharing of river water.

Officials of irrigation departments of the two states say that the present level of water in Srisailam and Nagarajuna Sagar will be sufficient to meet the need of the two states for the next one year.

Earlier the Krishna River Management Board had failed to resolve the dispute due to insufficient availability of water.

With improvement in the situation Telangana government has decided to release water from Nagarjunasagar for drinking needs of Hyderabad through Akkampally reservoir and through left ban canal to Nalgonda and Khammam for drinking purposes. It has also decided to supply drinking water to Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh.

Andhra Pradesh on the other hand was releasing water from Srisailam to Rayalaseema through Pothireddypadu head regulator project, Telugu Ganga canal, Right Bank Canal and Velligonda