The Sunkesula Barrage near Kurnool city, a long Barrage Dam was constructed across Tungabhadra River around 1860 by the British engineer, hailed as "Bhagiratha" Sir Arthur Cotton for Rayalaseema. Originally it was intended to be used for navigation during British Raj. The barrage was reconstructed by the Kotla Vijayabhaskara Reddy as Tungabhadra Barrage, to provide irrigation supply for Kadapa district. As the road and rail transportation increased, it is now supplying water for Kurnool and Kadapa districts, through the K. C. Canal. It impounds about of water and irrigates about amount of lands in Kurnool and Kadapa districts.