With catchment areas continuing to receive rain and bringing in more inflow into Chembarambakkam reservoir, the Water Resources Department (WRD) has increased water discharge considerably on Wednesday.
The department that began releasing about 1,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water into the Adyar river at 9 a.m. as a precautionary measure, stepped up the quantum of discharge to 1,500 cusecs as inflow increased to 1,100 cusecs.
With the waterbody receiving a steady inflow, the reservoir is rapidly filling up. The water level has touched 22.35 feet against its full level of 24 ft. The reservoir is brimming with storage of 3,210 million cubic feet against its capacity of 3,645 mcft.
The reservoir had recorded 1 cm of rains on Wednesday. However, localities around the waterbody have been receiving rains of light to moderate intensity for the past few days that translated into surface runoff reaching the lake.
The WRD had already marginally increased the quantum of release to 200 cusecs on Tuesday owing to consistent rains. With more rains expected in the coming days, water discharge would be increased gradually based on the inflow during the monsoon.
It may be recalled that the Department had opened shutter gates last month as a precautionary measure and released a minimum of 25 cusecs of water.
The Kancheepuram district administration had earlier asked residents in low-lying areas, including Kundrathur and Tiruneermalai, along the Adyar river to take adequate precautions.
The water level in other reservoirs that cater to Chennai’s drinking water needs is also being monitored. Those including in Poondi and Red Hills also received considerable inflow following overnight rainfall.
The total storage of the six waterbodies, including Veeranam tank, used to augment city water supply, stands at 10.3 thousand million cubic feet against their capacity of 13.2 tmcft on Wednesday.
Water released from Red Hills reservoir
Following Chembarambakkam reservoir, the shuttergates of Red Hills reservoir were also opened on Wednesday evening to let out about 200 cusecs of water into surplus course that joins Ennore creek.
Spread over 20.86 sq.km., the reservoir now has 2,862 mcft of water against its capacity of 3,300 mcft. With the water level touching 19.25 feet, just two feet lower than full level, it was decided to open the shuttergates to accommodate more inflow. The lake received about 570 cusecs of water due to overnight rains.
The Tiruvallur district administration has warned residents of low-level areas along the surplus course, including Puzhal, Vadaperumbakkam, Manjambakkam, Kosapur and Manali about possibility of inundation.
