The Kosasthalaiyar river will soon have two more check-dams to store flood water that otherwise drains into the sea.
The Water Resources Department (WRD) will begin work to construct a check-dam, a wall-like structure across the river, this month-end between Pudhukuppam and Kudiraipallam, located downstream of Karanodai bridge. The facility will be built to a height of 1.2 m across the river, which is nearly 335 m wide on that stretch.
Eighth dam
The eighth such check-dam, which is to be built at a cost of ₹9.9 crore, would not only help store water in the river even during summer but also aid in groundwater recharge in the surrounding villages. A WRD official said groundwater table in several villages near the river may improve by at least 10%. Water from about 300 borewells is being used to irrigate nearly 400 hectares in five villages, including Jagannathapuram and Gnayiru in Ponneri taluk. Similarly, the process is on to build another check-dam across the river near Bandikavanur, which is located about 30 km from Chennai. The long-pending project will help recharge groundwater in a radius of 10 km.
Such check-dams are needed at a distance of 5 km across the river to save water that flows into the sea through the Ennore creek. Surplus water from the Poondi reservoir too reaches the Kosasthalaiyar river, WRD officials said.
The historic Korattur anicut, which was damaged during the 2015 floods, is finally getting attention. The anicut, which is vital to regulating water to the Chembarambakkam reservoir, will be reconstructed. Built in 1876 across the unpolluted stretch of the Cooum river, the anicut, located at Jamin Korattur in Tiruvallur district, diverts excess water to the Chembarambakkam reservoir.
