Srisailam held 25.7% of its gross capacity on 29 October 2026, and Nagarjuna Sagar held 58.3%, according to the daily figures published by Andhra Pradesh's water resources information system (AP-WRIMS). You can follow the latest reading on our Srisailam dam water level today and Nagarjuna Sagar water level pages. These are shares of gross storage, including water below the minimum drawdown level. Measured against live (usable) capacity, as on our reservoir pages, Srisailam was at about 22% and Nagarjuna Sagar at about 28%. The two reservoirs are shared by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. How much each state may draw from them is still in dispute. The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) has called its 21st Board meeting for 5 November 2026 at 11:00, after moving it from 1 October to 26 October, then to 27 October (Kalam Daily) and finally to 5 November (Hyderabad News Hunt).
Quick answer
The Krishna River Management Board, a body shared by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, rules on drawals from Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar, the two reservoirs the states share. Since 2015 the split has been an ad hoc 66:34 in Andhra Pradesh's favour. Telangana has been asking for 50% since 2020, and no sharing order for 2026-27 had been agreed by 2 November. The KRMB's own project sheets give the minimum drawdown levels: 854 ft for irrigation and 834 ft for power at Srisailam, and 510 ft at Nagarjuna Sagar.
Who decides releases from Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar
Srisailam sits on the Krishna "on the border of Mahabubnagar District, Telangana and Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh", in the words of the KRMB project sheet. Nagarjuna Sagar lies downstream, "between Nalgonda district of Telangana and Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh" (KRMB). The Hindu reported on 4 September 2026 that under the board's own arrangement, Andhra Pradesh runs Srisailam and Telangana runs Nagarjuna Sagar.
Day-to-day sharing goes through a three-member committee: the KRMB's Member-Secretary and the Engineers-in-Chief of the two states. After two committee meetings ended without agreement, The Hindu reported that the Board was planning a full meeting with the two states' secretaries, the Board chairman and the Engineers-in-Chief (The Hindu, 4 September 2026).
Andhra Pradesh officials told the Deccan Chronicle that the Board used to issue interim water-sharing orders, but "this practice had not been followed in recent years" (Deccan Chronicle).
The rules at a glance (as of 2 November 2026)
| Rule / figure | What it says (as published) | Applies to | Decided by | Status | Source & date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interim state share | 66:34 (AP:TG), agreed for 2015-16 and continued later | Both shared reservoirs | KRMB / the two states | Disputed; Telangana has asked for 50% since 2020 | The Hindu, 4 Sep 2026 |
| 2026-27 sharing | No agreement in two committee meetings | Both shared reservoirs | KRMB three-member committee | Board meeting on 5 Nov 2026 | The Hindu, 4 Sep 2026; Hyderabad News Hunt |
| Drinking-water drawals | Each state sought 47 tmc ft for drinking needs until the end of October | Both shared reservoirs | KRMB committee | Agreed to use water only for drinking needs | The Hindu, 4 Sep 2026 |
| Srisailam full reservoir level | 885 ft; gross storage 215.807 TMC | Srisailam | KRMB project data | Published | krmb.gov.in, read 2 Nov 2026 |
| Srisailam MDDL (irrigation) | 854 ft; storage 89.29 TMC | Srisailam | KRMB project data | Published | ibid. |
| Srisailam MDDL (power) | 834 ft; storage 53.851 TMC | Srisailam | KRMB project data | Published | ibid. |
| Srisailam dead storage | 705 ft; 3.416 TMC | Srisailam | KRMB project data | Published | ibid. |
| Nagarjuna Sagar full reservoir level | 590 ft | Nagarjuna Sagar | KRMB project data | Published | krmb.gov.in, read 2 Nov 2026 |
| Nagarjuna Sagar MDDL | 510 ft; live storage above it 181 TMC | Nagarjuna Sagar | KRMB project data | Published | ibid. |
MDDL means minimum drawdown level, the lowest level a reservoir is normally drawn down to for a given use. Figures are quoted as the source gives them; nothing on this page is converted or recalculated.
The interim share: 66:34 or 50:50?
- 2015. After the state was split in 2014, the two chief ministers agreed to share Krishna water at 66:34 (Deccan Chronicle). The Hindu describes it as an ad hoc arrangement "agreed for 2015-16 and continued later".
- Since 2020. Telangana has asked for a 50% share (The Hindu).
- August–September 2026. Two meetings of the three-member committee, the second on 4 September, ended without agreement on the 2026-27 share. Telangana's Engineer-in-Chief said 66:34 was "not acceptable to them at any cost" (The Hindu).
- October 2026. Other press reports say Telangana is now seeking 70:30 (Deccan Chronicle). This page has not found an official document stating that figure.
- 5 November 2026. The full Board meets. This article will be updated once the KRMB publishes the outcome.
Minimum drawdown levels and what happens below them
Srisailam
The KRMB sheet lists a full reservoir level of 885 ft with a gross storage of 215.807 TMC. It gives two minimum drawdown levels: 854 ft for irrigation (89.29 TMC) and 834 ft for power (53.851 TMC). The spillway crest is at 830 ft (49.49 TMC) and dead storage is at 705 ft (3.416 TMC). The sheet does not say what happens to drawals below these levels.
The Deccan Chronicle reported Srisailam at 57.92 tmc ft, or 26.84% of gross capacity, ahead of the planned 26 October meeting. Andhra Pradesh officials said this could affect drinking water in Rayalaseema in May and June 2027 unless fresh inflows arrive.
Nagarjuna Sagar
The KRMB sheet gives a full reservoir level of 590 ft, a minimum drawdown level of 510 ft and live storage of 181 TMC above that level. It does not list any emergency drawal level. This page has not found a KRMB order in force in 2026 that sets one.
Flashpoints
Each side accuses the other of drawing water without the Board's approval (The Hindu, 4 September 2026):
- Andhra Pradesh says Telangana generated hydropower at Srisailam's left-bank power house and sent the water down to Nagarjuna Sagar "even when there was no need/demand for hydel power". That, it says, cut what AP could draw from Srisailam. AP also plans to object to pumping under Phase I of the Palamuru-Rangareddy lift scheme (Deccan Chronicle).
- Telangana says AP had drawn 20 tmc ft through the Pothireddypadu head regulator against an agreed 22 tmc ft for the period to the end of October. It says this was on top of drawals for the Handri-Neeva and KC Canal lifts and gravity drawal for Veligonda. Telangana also says AP has not installed the telemetry the KRMB asked for (Deccan Chronicle).
Where to check the official data
- AP-WRIMS (apwrims.ap.gov.in) publishes daily levels and storage. This is the source behind our Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar pages.
- The Central Water Commission's weekly Reservoir Level and Storage Bulletin.
- The KRMB (krmb.gov.in) publishes project sheets and daily data links.
- Irrigation & CAD Telangana (irrigation.telangana.gov.in).
- Other Krishna basin reservoirs: Jurala, Pulichintala, Prakasam Barrage, Almatti, Narayanpur and Tungabhadra.
FAQ
What is the minimum drawdown level of Srisailam dam?
The KRMB project sheet gives two: 854 ft (260.30 m) for irrigation, holding 89.29 TMC, and 834 ft (254.20 m) for power, holding 53.851 TMC. Full reservoir level is 885 ft. The sheet was read on 2 November 2026.
Who controls water releases from Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar?
The Krishna River Management Board. Its three-member committee (the Member-Secretary and the two states' Engineers-in-Chief) discusses the shares. When it could not agree in 2026, the Board called a full meeting. Under the board's arrangement, Andhra Pradesh runs Srisailam and Telangana runs Nagarjuna Sagar (The Hindu, 4 September 2026).
How is Krishna water shared between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh?
It is shared under an ad hoc 66:34 split (AP:TG), agreed for 2015-16 and continued since. Telangana has asked for 50% since 2020, and press reports in October 2026 mention 70:30. No share for 2026-27 had been agreed by 2 November 2026. The Board meets on 5 November.
What is the MDDL of Nagarjuna Sagar?
It is 510 ft (155.45 m), according to the KRMB project sheet, which gives 181 TMC of live storage above that level and a full reservoir level of 590 ft. The sheet was read on 2 November 2026.
What happens when Srisailam falls below its MDDL?
The KRMB project sheet does not say. This page has not found a KRMB order for 2026 that sets an emergency drawal level. In September 2026 the two states agreed to use the water only for drinking needs because inflows were poor (The Hindu).
Where can I check today's Srisailam dam water level?
On our Srisailam data page, which is updated from AP-WRIMS, and at the source: AP-WRIMS, the KRMB and the CWC weekly bulletin.
Method
Sources read for this page are the KRMB project sheets for Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar (read on 2 November 2026), the AP-WRIMS daily figures for 29 October 2026, and the press reports linked above. Press reports are attributed in the text. Rules and figures are quoted as published, with no conversions, calculations or projections. Where no official figure was found, the page says so.
Related
- India water restriction thresholds
- How we get our data: India
- Official reservoir data sources
- Bhakra Dam and the BBMB
- Telangana reservoirs · Andhra Pradesh reservoirs
This article explains official rules for general information; it is not legal advice. Allocations are subject to orders of the KRMB, the tribunals and the Supreme Court.