Kerala rains: Water level in Idukki dam remains low

According to Dam Monitoring and Research Station at Vazhathoppe, heavy rains fail to make much of an impact on water inflow through the main tributary of the Periyar

A view of the Periyar from a bridge at Karinkulam Chappathu, downstream of the Mullaperiyar dam, on Friday. The iron railings of the bridge were destroyed in the 2018 floods.

Despite heavy rainfall, the water level in the Idukki dam continued to remain at a low on Friday. As per data from the Dam Monitoring and Research Station at Vazhathoppe, the water level on Friday stood at 2,333.12 ft, which was 32% of the full reservoir capacity.

The previous day's water level was 2,333.38 ft. Power generation at the Moolamattom power station was 7.494 mu (mega units) on Thursday.

The rainfall had not made much of an impact on the water inflow through the main tributary of the Periyar, said an official, adding that the water level in the Idukki dam would to begin to rise only if the spell continued for two more days.

The average storage in the 16 major hydel dams in the State was only 33%, as per the data on Friday. The storage level in the main hydel dams on Friday were as follows: Idukki (32%), Pamba (40%), Sholayar (30%), Idamalayar (29%), Kundala (13%), Mattupetty (31%), Kuttiady (48%), Thariyode (9%), Anayirankal (6%), Ponmudi (76%), Neriamangalam (24%), Peringalkuthu (26%) and Lower Periyar (66%).