The Public Works Department suspended release of water from Mettur dam into the east and west canals for raising cash crops in the three western districts of Salem, Namakkal and Erode on Saturday.
The Chief Minister had ordered release of water into the east and west canals on November 17 for 13 days in the first phase. Later, on Wednesday, the Public Works Department extended the water release for five more days till December 4.
However, with Salem and other districts experiencing widespread rainfall, the Public Works Department closed the shutters of the east and west canals from 8 a.m. on Saturday, according to official sources. Meanwhile, for the first time in 18 days, the water storage level registered reasonable rise in the Stanley Reservoir at Mettur on Saturday, thanks to increase in the inflow.
The realisation of water in the Cauvery had been dwindling, leading to fall in the storage level. The water level went down by 8.45 ft in the last 18 days, despite the PWD reducing discharge of water.
The inflow remained less than 2,000 cusecs in the last three weeks. At least on two occasions, the inflow was less than 1,000 cusecs — 967 cusecs on November 23 and 990 cusecs on November 25 — causing panic farmers.
The inflow which stood at 1,403 cusecs on Thursday and 2,626 cusecs on Friday rose to 5,199 cusecs on Saturday. The water level stood at 76.01 ft on Friday and it rose to 76.38 (storage level 38.444 tmc) on Saturday.
