CWMA asks basin states to use reservoir water judiciously, postpones Cauvery release decision

In view of lower reservoir levels and reduced inflows in parts of the basin, the CWMA has refrained from issuing any fresh water release guidelines and has decided to reassess the situation after monitoring the progress of the southwest monsoon. | Photo credit: The Hindu

Amid depleted reservoir water levels in the Cauvery basin and poor rainfall situation in Karnataka, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) directed all the basin states to use water available in the reservoirs judiciously, especially for drinking water needs. It decided to review the water situation at its next meeting in light of the expectation of an improvement in rainfall in the coming weeks.

The direction came at the authority’s 52nd meeting, which was held amid renewed political debate over the Mekedatu Reservoir Project. It may be noted that on June 19, the Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously passed a resolution moved by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay opposing the Karnataka government’s proposal to build a buffer tank across the Cauvery at Mekedat.

Representatives of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry attended the meeting on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) and reviewed reservoir storage, inflows, outflows and rainfall in the basin.

Lower tank levels

In view of the lower reservoir levels and reduced inflows in parts of the basin, the authority refrained from issuing any fresh water release guidelines and decided to reassess the situation after monitoring the progress of the southwest monsoon.

Demand of Tamil Nadu

During the meeting, Tamil Nadu pressed for the release of 9 tmcft of Cauvery water from Karnataka and sought a route for Karnataka to provide details of smaller irrigation tank filling systems and lift irrigation projects drawing water directly from rivers and canals.

Tamil Nadu also reiterated its demand that water drawn from the Cauvery basin for Bengaluru’s non-basin drinking water needs be treated as Karnataka’s use and properly accounted for in the calculation of the basin’s yield. The state also sought to develop a distress-sharing formula to manage water releases during years of poor rainfall.

Karnataka submission

In its submissions, Karnataka said the delayed monsoon and weak inflows led to lower storage levels in the reservoirs and consequently reduced leakages. The state also pointed to similar conditions in northern Karnataka and neighboring Maharashtra, largely attributing the situation to the effects of El Niño.

The CWMA reviewed reservoir status as well as rainfall, inflow and outflow data submitted by the basin states before concluding that available water resources should be managed cautiously until inflows improve.

With good rainfall expected in the coming days, the authority has decided to re-examine the situation in its next meeting before taking another call to release water.

The meeting assumes significance as both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have started raising water availability claims at the start of the monsoon season, with Tamil Nadu struggling to meet the monthly release schedule and Karnataka citing poor inflows and storage in lower reservoirs.

Published – 23 Jun 2026 21:51 IST