Salem ,August 24
Inflow into the Mettur dam has pushed its water level close to 87 feet, raising hopes that water may soon be released for irrigation in the Cauvery delta if the trend continues.
Water was not released from the reservoir for kuruvai cultivation this year because of inadequate storage. The delay has affected farmers across the delta, where crops have begun to wither due to the absence of irrigation supplies.
After Karnataka released water from its reservoirs into the Cauvery, inflow into Mettur has now increased to 13,538 cubic feet per second (cusecs), while only 2,000 cusecs is being discharged to meet drinking-water requirements.
As the inflow is higher than the outflow, the reservoir level has been rising. It stood at 86.83 feet and is approaching the 87-foot mark. Officials expect it to reach 90 feet in the coming days if the current inflow continues.
Water Resources Department officials said sustained inflow could create favourable conditions for releasing water for delta irrigation once the reservoir crosses 90 feet. Any decision, however, will depend on storage, releases from Karnataka and the requirements of farmers.
The Mettur dam is the principal source of irrigation water for the Cauvery delta. In normal years, it is opened on June 12 to support kuruvai paddy cultivation. Poor storage prevented the customary opening this year, forcing farmers to depend on rainfall, groundwater and other limited sources.
Farmers are now waiting for the reservoir level to rise sufficiently before crop damage becomes more widespread. Officials are monitoring inflow and storage levels and have indicated that stable inflows over the next several days will be crucial.
If the present pattern continues, improved storage at Mettur could pave the way for an irrigation release and provide relief to farmers struggling to protect their crops across the delta region.
