Upper Bhadra Project Delivers Water After 50 Years

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Key takeaways

The Upper Bhadra Project is Karnataka's first irrigation project to receive National Project status from the central government.
Built at a cost of Rs 21,500 crore, this lift irrigation scheme transfers water from the Tunga and Bhadra rivers through a 6.9 km long tunnel.
The project aims to irrigate over 2.25 lakh hectares of drought-prone land and replenish 367 minor tanks in Karnataka.
Water from the Bhadra reservoir reached Gonur Lake after a 50-year wait for the local population.

A successful trial run delivered water from the Bhadra reservoir to Gonur Lake through the Chitradurga Branch Canal.
This achievement ended a 50-year wait for residents living in central Karnataka.
The trial marks the operational start of the Upper Bhadra Project, which aims to solve severe water scarcity in semi-arid zones.

The central government granted National Project status to this irrigation scheme, making it the first project in Karnataka to receive this designation for central financial assistance.
This initiative is a Rs 21,500-crore lift irrigation scheme designed to draw water from the Tunga and Bhadra rivers to tackle acute water distress.
In Stage 1 of operations, the system lifts water from the Tunga River and transfers it directly into the Bhadra Reservoir.
In Stage 2, the system lifts water from the Bhadra Reservoir and routes it through a 6.9 km tunnel to feed the Chitradurga and Tumakuru branch canals.
The primary objective is to irrigate over 2.25 lakh hectares of drought-prone agricultural land.
The project also aims to fill 367 minor irrigation tanks across Chitradurga, Davanagere, Tumakuru, and Chikkamagaluru districts.

The Bhadra River originates at Gangamoola peak in the Western Ghats and flows eastward across the Deccan Plateau.
It joins the Tunga River at Koodli near Shivamogga to form the Tungabhadra River.
The Tungabhadra River serves as a major tributary of the Krishna River before flowing into the Bay of Bengal.