Sugarcane Cultivation and Krishnaraja Sagar Dam Irrigation, Mysuru

The Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam on the Cauvery river near Mysuru, completed in 1931, was the largest masonry dam in India at its time of construction and created a reservoir of 5.4 TMC capacity. The dam's irrigation network covers over 120,000 acres across Mysuru and Mandya districts, transforming the semi-arid Cauvery plain into productive sugarcane and paddy farmland. The Cauvery irrigation command area's prosperity is directly visible in Mandya and Mysuru's relative agricultural wealth compared to rain-fed districts. The KRS dam also supplies drinking water to Bengaluru and Mysuru cities. Traditional Cauvery fishing communities have historical rights to fish in the reservoir under agreements predating the dam's construction.