An Attempt to Desilt the Meghadrigedda Reservoir Supplying Pure Drinking Water to the City of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India:A Geospatial Study

https://doi.org/10.46610/JoGS.2025.v010i03.004

Abstract

The impact of climate change is particularly pronounced in densely populated urban areas, making it essential to manage water resources efficiently to meet current demands and address future needs. A key aspect of this management is desilting reservoirs to enhance their storage capacity. The Meghadrigedda Reservoir, spanning 6.6 square kilometres and situated entirely within the Pendurthi mandal, plays a vital role in this context. Located at East Longitude 83°11'27" and North Latitude 17°45'54", the Reservoir is created at the junction of the Meghadrigedda and Narava rivers to provide 8 million gallons of drinking water daily to the residents of Visakhapatnam. A bulk of the soil from the hill slopes washes away with the water flow. Studies over the years have shown that silt is deposited in both the dead storage (the storage at the bottom, below the minimum drawdown level, which is never used under normal circumstances) and the live storage (LS). Meghadrigedda reservoir was constructed with a maximum flood discharge of 53,000 cusecs and a dead storage of 126 million cubic feet. Silt deposition in reservoirs has increased manifold in recent years due to severe anthropogenic activities that have altered the catchment's natural topography. The desilting of the Reservoir will augment the water supply to Visakhapatnam city. An attempt is made to display the soil erosion and erodibility of Pendurthi mandal, which may aid in the desiltation of the Reservoir.