We know that Karnataka's major reservoirs are still under close watch as water storage, inflows and outflows have a significant role to play in irrigation, drinking water supply and river management throughout the state.
The latest reservoir data on 25 September 2026 provides a picture of water position at the major dams such as Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS), Almatti and Basava Sagara reservoirs.
Krishnaraja Sagar reservoir (KRS) is one of the most important water storage structures in the Cauvery basin. As of September 25 at 10 a.m., KRS had a water level of 105.90 feet and the full reservoir level of 124.80 feet. The storage was 27,797 million cubic feet and the inflow was 4,120 cusecs. The outflow was 3,984 cusecs.
The KRS figures are especially relevant because the reservoir plays a significant role in meeting water needs in parts of southern Karnataka. Its storage position is also closely monitored because releases from the reservoir impact downstream water availability. Inflow can be influenced by rainfall in the Cauvery catchment, while outflow levels are determined by irrigation, drinking water and downstream needs.
KRS Water Level and Flow
So far, KRS is at 105.90 feet as of September 25 and a maximum level of 124.80 feet. The reservoir has a total capacity of 49,452 million cubic feet. The inflow and outflow on September 25 are 4,120 cusecs and 3,984 cusecs respectively.
The figures indicate that the reservoir continued to receive water but also released water downstream. Monitoring the difference between inflow and outflow is important to know if storage is increasing or declining.
Almatti Reservoir Status
The Almatti Reservoir, also known as Lal Bahadur Shastri Sagar, is located across the Krishna River in Vijayapura district of northern Karnataka. It is one of the major reservoirs in northern Karnataka and has a major role to play in irrigation and water management in the Krishna basin.
The latest available reservoir data prior to September 25 showed Almatti at about 111.969 TMC, about 91% of its gross capacity of 123.081 TMC. Water level was about 1,702.538 feet, compared to a full reservoir level of 1,704.72 feet. There was no inflow at the time of the September 24 update.
A separate source of reservoir data for September 24 reported Almatti storage of about 113.11 TMC and an outflow of 13,172 cusecs, illustrating that the figures could vary depending on the reporting system and observation time.
Basava Sagara Reservoir
The Basava Sagara Reservoir (also known as Narayanapura Reservoir) is another important water-storage facility in the Krishna basin. The reservoir is located in Yadgir district and receives water from the Krishna system and is important for irrigation and downstream water releases.
Recent September data showed that the reservoir was operating at a high storage level. On September 17, for instance, water level was 491.05 metres against a maximum of 492.25 metres and the inflow was 5,000 cusecs and the outflow was 12,000 cusecs.
On September 20, another update reported the Basava Sagara level at 490.92 m, with an inflow of 12,000 cusecs and an outflow of 13,000 cusecs. These figures depict that water flows through the Krishna basin during the latter part of the monsoon season.
Why Reservoir Levels Matter
Water levels in the reservoirs in Karnataka are closely observed by farmers, residents, authorities and water-management agencies. Reservoir storage determines the availability of water for irrigation and drinking purposes, while inflow and outflow data indicate how water flows through individual river basins.
The KRS, Almatti and Basava Sagara reservoirs are the central parts of Karnataka’s river systems. KRS is associated with the Cauvery basin while Almatti and Basava Sagara are important to the Krishna basin.
The National Water Data Portal maintains a daily manual reservoir dataset for Karnataka with data collected from observation stations established by the Karnataka Water Department. The dataset was updated on 25 September 2026 and serves as an official reference point for reservoir-level monitoring.
With the monsoon season moving on, water levels can change rapidly due to rainfall, catchment inflows and operational releases. Thus, reservoir figures should be read in terms of their observation date and reporting time.
The water level of the KRS is 105.90 feet at the time of the last update, 27,797 million cubic feet of storage, 4,120 cusecs of inflow and 3,984 cusecs of outflow.
Almatti is still at a high storage level in the last update of September 24, while Basava Sagara is also at an average level in recent reports. The storage and flow of these reservoirs will be closely monitored throughout their existence in Karnataka to ensure that water is available for agriculture, drinking water and downstream needs.
