SRSP Flood Flow Canal

The canal's full supply level (FSL) is 1,070 feet (326 m) MSL with 1,091 feet (333 m) MSL full reservoir level of Sriram Sagar reservoir. So the flood canal can be used only if the water level is above 1070 feet. The flood canal is not in use in most of the years as the water inflows in to the Sriram Sagar reservoir is not adequate to build up the level to 1070 ft. As an alternative, Yellampalli Lift Canal from Yellampalli Project is under construction with which water will be lifted into Flood Flow Canal at Gangadhara to feed Mid Manair Dam.^[4]

In fact, by re-engineering of this defunct canal to reverse its flow direction by raising its bank levels and installing low head high flow concrete volute pumps at existing major aqueducts, at balancing reservoirs & at Sriram Sagar reservoir inlet point, Godavari flood waters during monsoon months from the Pranahita Chevella lift can be stored in the 110 tmcft gross storage capacity of Sriram Sagar reservoir for use during the dry months.^[5][6] The stored water can be released back into Kakatiya Canal by gravity from the Sriram Sagar reservoir for use in the command area of SRSP as well as Pranahita Chevella projects when adequate water is not available in the lower Godavari basin during dry seasons. Also remodelled SRSP flood canal can be used for supplying water by gravity for irrigating nearly 300,000 acres on its both sides by the water supplied from the Pranahita Chevella project. To facilitate this remodelling in future, the single lift (96 MWC) envisaged from Myadaram tank to the SRSP flood flow canal should be split into two lifts (76 + 20 MWC) via Kakatiya canal.^[7] The re-engineering of this canal is similar to modifications carried out to reverse the water flow of ancient Grand canal under Eastern Route project of South to North Water Transfer in China.^[8]