The Tungabhadra project is a joint venture of the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The Tungabhadra dam , 2441 metres in length and 49.38 metres in height, is constructed on the Tungabhadra river at Mullapuram(in Bellary district) about 4.8 kilometres from Hospet. It is one of the biggest multipurpose dams of Karnataka. The project also consists of three main canals, one on the left bank side and another on the right bank side. They are called the Left Bank Canal, the Low Level Canal and the High Level Canal.

1.The Left Bank Canal is 225 kilometres in length with a capacity of 7000 cusecs cubic feet per second . It has the potential to provide irrigation to about 3 lakh hectares of land in the Bellary and Raichur districts of Karnataka and Anantpur, Kurnool and Cuddapah districts in Andhra Pradesh.

2.The Low Level Canal is 349 kilometres in length. Originating from the right flank of the Tungabhadra river, this canal runs through the states of Andhra Pradesh. This project has irrigation potential for a total of about 97,566 hectares of land in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The Power Canal on the Right Bank side sustains the power house at Hampi.

3.The High Level Canal has a total length of 196 kms.Its capacity is 4999cusecs at the head. This canal provides irrigation facilities to about 80900 hectares of land in Karnataka and 101900 hectares of land in Andhra Pradesh.

Apart from these the Tungabhadra project has two powerhouses with a cumulative installed capacity of 72 MW. The power generated is shared between the States of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in the ratio of 20:80. Moreover, NCL Energy Ltd, a Hyderabad-based company, has been selected to set up a mini hydel project of 8.25 mw on the Right Bank High Level Canal (RBHLC). The project cost is likely to be Rs 22.20 crore. The basin of the High Level Canal nearer to the dam has been selected as the future location of the powerhouse and the powerhouse is anticipated to have three units each with a capacity of 2,750 kV. The plant is estimated to produce a gross energy of 30 million kw hours per annum. The project will be exploiting the water released from the Tungabhadra dam reservoir into the RBHLC to generate power. The energy generated at the project will be supplied to the two states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in the existing ratio of power sharing (80:20).

The current functions involving the Tungabhadra project may be summarised as follows:

Regulation of supplies of water to the States of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka

1. Regulation of power from the two power houses on the right side in accordance with such rules as may be made in this behalf by the Board.

2. Maintenance of the dam and reservoir of the project, common to both the States , which includes undertaking safety measures for the dams and spillway.

3.Maintenance of the common portion of the Right Bank High Level Canal and Low Level Canal including common distributaries of Right Bank Low Level Canal and any other works common to both the States of AndhraPradesh and Karnataka.

4. Facilitating fisheries in the reservoir and in the main canal.

5. Proper exploitation of land acquired for the purposes of the project.

6. Development of new schemes for hydro electric power generation .