DINDIGUL
After a gap of six years, Mavur dam has surplussed, thanks to heavy rain on Sirumalai hill, the prime catchment of the dam, which caused a spurt in inflow into the dam.
Storage in the dam crossed the maximum level of 21 feet around 2 a.m. on Wednesday and the excess water started flowing through the surplus weir. At that time, the dam had been receiving 250 cusecs of water.
“We started discharging the entire inflow into the prime channel immediately to protect the dam and improve storage in rural tanks,” said S. Thangavel, Assistant Engineer, Public Works Department.
While 120 cusecs of water would be utilised to recharge Agaram rural tank, 70 cusecs would be used to improve Pulamasi tank and 20 cusecs to fill Ponnankulam. The remaining quantity would be utilised to fill other tanks such as Kongarkulam, Ramarajapuram tank and Karattupatti tank. The excess flow from Agaram tank would fill Pudukulam, he added.
The full storage in Mavur dam would improve groundwater table and recharge irrigation wells at several villages in the region. Agricultural lands in Pallapatti, Pottipuram, Ramarajapuram, Karuthapatti, Kongarkulam and nearby villages would benefit.
Farmers were jubilant as the comfortable storage in the dam would help them protect long-term and perennial crops.
Theni
Water level in Sothuparai dam stood at 125.95 feet with an inflow of three cusecs on Wednesday. The level in Manjalar dam was 55 feet with an inflow and a discharge of 12 cusecs each.
