Tamil Nadu's Mettur Dam Water Releases Set to Halt Amid Farmer Concerns
Mettur Dam Water Supply Period Concludes
Photo: @ians_india/X
Chennai, Oct 15: The Tamil Nadu government is set to cease water releases from the Mettur dam for irrigation in the Cauvery delta this Thursday, as the designated 45-day supply period comes to an end. This decision raises concerns among farmers who still require water for their crops due to declining storage levels and insufficient inflows.
Chief Minister Vijay initiated the dam's water release for delta irrigation on September 1, following uncertainty regarding water availability due to a poor monsoon season. Typically, water is released from Mettur starting June 12 for agricultural activities in the delta, but this year’s opening was delayed, with a commitment to provide irrigation for 45 days.
As this period concludes, the government may suspend releases unless an extension is granted.
During the supply period, the dam's water level has decreased by nearly 32 feet, dropping from 91 feet on September 1 to 59.13 feet by Wednesday evening. This decline highlights the pressure on the reservoir caused by ongoing irrigation without adequate replenishment.
Current inflows are measured at just 696 cubic feet per second, significantly lower than the discharge rate downstream. Initially, releases peaked at 15,000 cusecs during the irrigation phase but were reduced from 12,000 cusecs to 10,000 cusecs on Wednesday evening as storage continued to dwindle.
This disparity between inflows and outflows has resulted in a continuous reduction of the reservoir's capacity, limiting the ability to maintain current supply levels.
The decreasing water level has intensified uncertainty regarding the availability of irrigation water in the near future.
Farmers in the Cauvery delta have urged the state government to prolong water releases, emphasizing that their fields still need irrigation. This request puts the government in a challenging position, balancing immediate agricultural needs against the reservoir's diminishing resources.
Focus is now shifting to the northeast monsoon, which the Meteorological Department has indicated is expected to commence on Thursday.
A robust monsoon and a significant increase in inflows will be crucial for sustaining water releases from the dam.
For farmers awaiting the government's decision, the pressing question remains whether the water supply will be extended beyond the current deadline. Until rainfall improves and the reservoir receives sufficient inflows, the likelihood of continued irrigation releases remains uncertain, leaving delta farmers reliant on both governmental decisions and the forthcoming monsoon's progress over the next few days.