Water from the Mettur dam would be released on Friday for irrigation in a group of districts.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said the discharge would be done through Pullambadi, New Kattalai High-level Canal, East Bank and West Bank Canals to feed water to 87,736 acres in Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Ariyalur, Salem, Erode and Namakkal districts.