Chennai, June 6:
With just days left for the customary opening of the Mettur Dam, anxiety is mounting among farmers across the Cauvery Delta as water levels remain below the required mark.
As of Thursday, the dam’s water level stood at 79.86 feet, with a storage of 41.81 TMC against its full capacity of 93.45 TMC. Officials indicated that this may not be sufficient to release water on the scheduled date unless there is substantial rainfall and increased inflow in the coming days.
The annual release of water from the Mettur Dam marks the start of Kuruvai cultivation, a crucial farming season in the delta. The irrigation network supports nearly 16 lakh acres spread across 12 districts, including Salem, Erode, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam.
Farmers depend heavily on timely water release for Kuruvai, Samba, and Thaladi crops. Any delay—especially for the short-term Kuruvai crop—could significantly disrupt agricultural activities.
Water release patterns over the past five years have varied widely. In 2022, the dam was opened ahead of schedule due to ample storage, while in 2024, it was delayed until July owing to poor inflows. In the remaining years, the opening took place on June 12 as scheduled.
With current storage levels falling short, farmers are now pinning their hopes on widespread rainfall to improve inflows. Officials said the final decision on the dam opening will depend on how the storage situation evolves over the next few days.