Tamil Nadu: Mettur Dam reaches full capacity for seventh time this year

Chennai, Oct 20 The Mettur Dam in Tamil Nadu's Salem district has once again reached its full capacity of 120 feet on Monday, marking the seventh time it has filled this year, following steady inflows from Karnataka and the Cauvery river’s catchment areas.

With the southwest monsoon continuing to bring heavy rainfall across the Cauvery basin, the dam recorded an inflow of 20,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs), prompting authorities to release an equal amount of water downstream.

According to officials from the Water Resources Department (WRD), the dam now holds a storage of 93.47 thousand million cubic feet (TMC ft) of water. To manage the surplus inflow, water is being discharged through the 16-vent Ellis Saddle surplus sluices.

Additionally, 800 cusecs are being released through the upper sluice gates to meet drinking water requirements in the downstream districts.

Revenue and disaster management authorities have issued warnings to residents in low-lying and riverbank areas, advising them to move to safer locations as a precautionary measure. Public announcements and loudspeaker alerts have been issued in vulnerable villages along the Cauvery to prevent accidents.

Officials have urged people to avoid bathing, washing clothes, or taking selfies near the floodwaters.

“The continuous southwest monsoon rains over the Cauvery catchment and upstream reservoirs in Karnataka have resulted in heavy inflow to Mettur,” said a WRD official.

“People should remain alert and cooperate with local authorities as the discharge will continue depending on the inflow.”

The Mettur Dam, one of Tamil Nadu’s major reservoirs and the lifeline for delta irrigation, had earlier reached its full level on June 29, July 5, July 20, July 25, August 20, and September 2 this year — an unusually high number of times in a single monsoon season.

Officials added that continuous monitoring is being undertaken to ensure safe water regulation and to prevent flooding in adjoining areas.

With the northeast monsoon expected to intensify later this month, authorities are maintaining high alert levels to manage future inflows effectively.

The Mettur Dam, constructed across the Cauvery River in 1934, remains crucial for irrigation, drinking water supply, and power generation across Tamil Nadu’s delta districts.

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