The Tungabhadra Model: How Three States Share One River's Waters

The Tungabhadra is a major tributary of the Krishna river and flows through the southern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is formed by the meeting of the Tunga and the Bhadra rivers, which both rise in the Western Ghats of Karnataka. The Tungabhadra dam, built across the river in Karnataka's Koppal district, is treated as a lifeline by all three states. It supplies irrigation water to about 16.4 lakh acres of farmland, with the largest share going to Karnataka, followed by Andhra Pradesh and then Telangana.

On 25 June 2026, the Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, together with the Union Jal Shakti Minister, jointly inaugurated 33 new spillway gates of the dam. The leaders used the occasion to pledge stronger cooperation on sharing the river's water. This carries meaning because, unlike many other Indian rivers that are caught in long legal disputes, the Tungabhadra has stayed largely free of major conflict. A fixed water-sharing formula and a joint regulatory body, the Tungabhadra Board, manage how much water each state draws.

The new gates were installed after a crest gate was washed away in August 2024 when the reservoir was full and inflows were heavy. A great deal of water was lost during that incident. To avoid a repeat, the authorities replaced the old gates with high-grade steel gates that are expected to last around 60 years. The episode underlined how important the upkeep and safety of large dams is for the farmers and towns that depend on them.

Cooperation, however, does not mean the differences have disappeared. An upstream lift-irrigation scheme in central Karnataka has become a point of friction with the two downstream states, which worry about how much water will reach them. The dam is also losing storage capacity because of heavy silting, with its usable storage falling well below the level it was first designed for. The Union government has signalled plans to remove silt from reservoirs and to push forward dam rehabilitation work across many states.

The Tungabhadra is often cited as a working example of cooperative federalism on river water. Water is a State subject under the Constitution, but inter-state rivers fall under Union oversight, and Parliament can set up tribunals to settle disputes. The river shows that a clear sharing formula, a neutral regulatory board and regular dialogue between states can prevent the bitter, long-running water battles seen elsewhere in the country.