Tamil Nadu: Mettur dam reaches full reservoir level, flood alert sounded
Following copious release of surplus water from Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dams in Karnataka due to heavy rains in Cauvery catchment areas, the dam’s storage level rose steadily, despite release of water for Delta irrigation from the customary date of June 12.
State Tourism Minister R Rajendran, Salem Collector R Brindha Devi, and Salem MP Selvaganapathy, after opening sluices of the Ellis Saddle
COIMBATORE: The Mettur dam reached its full reservoir level (FRL) of 120 feet on Sunday evening.
In its 92 years of history, the dam built in 1934 has been filled up for the 44th year. Strikingly, the dam has also reached its FRL after 67 years, in June, as it's usual to fill up only in July and August. This is the second time since 1957; the dam has filled up in June.
Following copious release of surplus water from Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dams in Karnataka due to heavy rains in Cauvery catchment areas, the dam’s storage level rose steadily, despite release of water for Delta irrigation from the customary date of June 12.
As the inflow remained steady after June 20 and reached a maximum of 80,984 cusecs on Saturday, the dam’s storage reached 119.80 feet on Sunday at 4 pm and 120 feet at 6 pm.
However, simultaneously, the inflow into the dam also saw a gradual dip from 68,000 cusecs on Sunday morning to 59,400 cusecs in the afternoon and further down to 58,324 cusecs in the evening.
The dam’s early filling up has given enough reasons to rejoice for farmers, who are dependent on the water to irrigate over five lakh acres in the Delta region.
Tourism Minister R Rajendran, in the presence of Salem Collector R Brindha Devi and Salem Member of Parliament TM Selvaganapathy, showered petals after opening the 16 eye sluices of the Ellis Saddle to release surplus water of 32,000 cusecs, while 26,000 cusecs have been released through the tunnel for Delta irrigation.
With the dam filling up and the entire quantum of surplus water being released, a flood alert has been sounded in the 11 districts of Salem, Erode, Karur, Namakkal, Tiruchy, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts.
People living in low-lying areas along the flooded Cauvery River were asked to move to safer areas, and vigil has been enhanced by the revenue department staff along the course of the river. Meanwhile, a ban on tourists from bathing and coracle services continues in the flooded Hogenakkal in Dharmapuri.
