Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay opened the Mettur Dam for irrigation on September 1, releasing Cauvery water to farmers across the Cauvery delta region.
The state government has initially planned to maintain the water release for 45 days, with attention now turning to whether the available storage will allow the release to continue beyond the initial period.
As of September 1, the water level at Mettur Dam stood at 91.56 feet, against its full reservoir level of 120 feet. The storage was around 54.45 thousand million cubic feet (TMC), while the dam's total capacity is 93.47 TMC.
Mettur Dam is traditionally opened on June 12 every year to support the cultivation of kuruvai, the short-duration paddy crop grown across the Cauvery delta.
However, the opening was delayed this year because of inadequate rainfall in the Cauvery basin and low reservoir storage.
CM Vijay Opens Mettur Dam
The dam opening marks Vijay's first visit to Mettur since assuming office as Chief Minister. In the presence of his cabinet colleagues, including N Anand, Vijay pressed the button to open the sluice gates. He also showered flowers on the flowing water as Cauvery water was released for irrigation.
Vijay arrived in the region by a special flight from Chennai and travelled to Mettur by road. During his journey to the reservoir town, he held a roadshow and greeted people who had gathered along both sides of the route.
The Chief Minister received a strong welcome from TVK cadres, who erected party flagpoles and put up welcome banners and festoons along roadsides and at prominent intersections. In several locations, supporters also showered flowers on Vijay as he passed through.
Water to Reach 12 Districts
The irrigation release from Mettur Dam is expected to benefit farmers across around 12 districts during the initial 45-day period. The Cauvery delta region, including Thanjavur, will be among the key beneficiaries.
Thanjavur, widely known as the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu, depends heavily on Cauvery water for agricultural activities. The release is therefore significant for farmers preparing to cultivate after the delay in opening the reservoir.
However, the key question remains how long the authorities can sustain the release given the dam's current storage level. With the reservoir holding around 54.45 TMC, water management will remain crucial during the coming weeks.
Cauvery Water Dispute Continues
The Mettur Dam opening also comes against the backdrop of the continuing Cauvery water-sharing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The Supreme Court on Monday deferred the Cauvery water dispute hearing to September 15 after Tamil Nadu sought directions for Karnataka to clear the backlog in its water releases. Karnataka, meanwhile, submitted that it was currently releasing more than the stipulated quantity.
The availability of water from the Cauvery remains crucial for sustaining irrigation in Tamil Nadu, particularly as farmers in the delta region depend on timely releases from Mettur Dam.
The government faces the challenge of maintaining the irrigation supply for the planned 45-day period while monitoring inflows, reservoir storage and developments in the Cauvery basin.
The coming weeks will determine whether the current water availability will be sufficient to support farmers through the irrigation season.
