Tungabhadra Dam Inter‑State Project: Water Sharing, Irrigation and Governance under Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal

Overview The Tungabhadra originates in the Western Ghats near Shivamogga, Karnataka, and travels about 531 km before joining the Krishna at Sangamaleshwaram in Andhra Pradesh. The river’s flow depends largely on the south‑west monsoon . Key Developments Construction of the Tungabhadra Dam as an inter‑State project among Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana; crest gates installed in 1955. Formation of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal on 10 April 1969 to adjudicate water‑sharing disputes. 1976 water‑sharing award fixing a 65:35 allocation (including losses) between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and authorising releases to the river and the Vijayanagar canals. Important Facts River length in Karnataka: 382 km ; boundary stretch: 58 km ; length in Andhra Pradesh: 91 km . Original dam capacity: 134  tmcft ; tribunal‑allocated utilisation: 230 tmcft , of which 18 tmcft is earmarked for evaporation losses. Irrigation command area: > 16.38 lakh acres (Karnataka 9.26 lakh, Andhra 6.25 lakh, Telangana 0.87 lakh). Major canals: Left Bank Canal, Right Bank Canal and their distributaries serve millions of farmers; several towns depend on the reservoir for drinking water. UPSC Relevance Understanding the Tungabhadra Dam case helps aspirants grasp inter‑state water‑resource management, a recurring theme in GS 3 (Environment & Resources) and GS 2 (Federalism). The role of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal illustrates institutional mechanisms for dispute resolution, relevant to questions on cooperative federalism and water law. The 65:35 sharing ratio and the concept of “losses” are useful for quantitative analysis in the water‑resource section of the UPSC syllabus. Way Forward Future policy must address declining monsoon reliability, sedimentation in the reservoir, and the need for a modern water‑allocation framework that balances agricultural demand with ecological sustainability. Strengthening the role of the Tungabhadra Board and updating the tribunal’s guidelines can ensure equitable distribution among the three states.