The water discharged into River Cauvery from Mettur Dam increased to 2.10 lakh cusecs on Thursday.
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Following heavy rain in catchment areas and increasing water discharge from dams in Karnataka, the inflow into Stanley reservoir in Mettur also started to increase from July 31. As water level in Mettur dam is maintained at its full capacity of 120 feet, the inflow into the dam is completely discharged into River Cauvery.
For the 20th consecutive day, the dam’s water level stood at 120 feet on Thursday. At 8 a.m., the inflow into the dam increased to 1.58 lakh cusecs, and at 11 a.m., it was two lakh cusecs. At 4 p.m., the inflow increased further to 2.10 lakh cusecs. The amount of water discharged into the Cauvery also increased to 2.10 lakh cusecs, including 1.87 lakh cusecs through 16-vent surplus sluices and 23,000 cusecs through the dam and power house tunnel. For canal irrigation, the water discharged through the East-West Bank canal is reduced to 400 cusecs from 500 cusecs.
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Water Resources Department officials stated that on Wednesday night, flood alert was issued to ten district collectors in the delta region and advised people living in low-lying areas and near the river to relocate. At 4 p.m. on Thursday, the inflow at Biligundlu on the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border stood at 2.15 lakh cusecs. “We are expecting the inflow might increase to 2.30 lakh cusecs and the water might reach the dam at any time. The inflow will be completely discharged into the Cauvery,” the officials added.
Salem Collector S. Karmegam, in a release, said as 2.10 lakh cusecs of water was released from the dam, a warning was issued to people residing in low-lying areas through loudspeakers. People should avoid taking bath in River Cauvery and should also avoid taking selfies, Mr. Karmegam added.
Because of the water release, the standing crops in hundreds of acres at Edappadi and Poolampatti near the river were inundated.