The Mettur Dam’s usual opening on June 12 for kuruvai irrigation in Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery delta is in doubt due to low water storage and an unfavorable southwest monsoon forecast. Officials revealed that the current water level in the dam is insufficient to support the traditional release on June 12. Concerns have heightened as the India Meteorological Department predicts a delayed southwest monsoon onset and reduced rainfall.
The Mettur Dam currently holds about 41 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water, far below its full capacity of 93.47 tmcft. While receiving an inflow of around 1,950 cusecs, approximately 1,000 cusecs is being released downstream. In Karnataka, the combined storage in the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) and Kabini reservoirs is only 16.09 tmcft out of a total capacity of 68.97 tmcft.
Tamil Nadu has received 330 tmcft of Cauvery water at Biligundulu during the ongoing water year, surpassing its annual share of 176.85 tmcft. The state may only be able to support kuruvai cultivation on about 2.5 lakh acres with the current water storage, a significant decrease from previous years. Experts suggest that cultivating even three lakh acres would require a minimum of 80 tmcft of water.
