Mettur only 79 ft full, won’t open for Kuruvai cultivation

CHENNAI: Water will not be released from the Mettur dam on the customary date of June 12 for Kuruvai cultivation this year due to inadequate storage levels in the reservoir, officials from the Water Resources Department said.

Water from the dam is traditionally released on June 12 every year for Kuruvai cultivation in the Cauvery delta region. Officials said the water level in the Mettur reservoir remains below 79 feet, far short of the 90-foot necessary for opening the dam in June, causing concern among delta farmers.

Officials expressed their hope that increased inflows from the Cauvery basin following the intensification of the southwest monsoon in Kerala and Karnataka could improve the reservoir's storage in the coming weeks. While Kuruvai cultivation is likely to be affected, adequate inflows may still help support Samba and Thaladi cultivation later in the year.

The development comes a year after Mettur dam made history by reaching its full reservoir level of 120 feet seven times, aided by strong southwest and northeast monsoons. It was the first time in the dam's 92-year history that it had filled to capacity seven times in a single year.

The reservoir, built in 1934, serves as a crucial source of irrigation and drinking water for 13 delta districts, including Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai.