Poor storage in Sathanur reservoir cripples irrigation

Due to monsoon failure and resultant poor storage in Sathanur reservoir, no water is available for direct canal irrigation this year.

With the meagre water available for irrigation in the reservoir built across the Pennai river, the government plans to feed only irrigation tanks connected with the system. Water level in the dam stands at 91.2 feet against the full reservoir level of 119 feet. Water storage corresponding to this level is 2,589 million cubic feet (mcft).

However, after deducting estimated silt deposit level, estimated evaporation loss and water required for drinking water projects, water estimated to be available for irrigation is 1400.44 mcft.

Hence, at a meeting held at collectorate on Tuesday regarding water release for irrigation from Sathanur reservoir, PWD-Water Resource Organisation officials intimated the administration that only 88 system tanks attached to the Sathanur reservoir could be fed with some amount of water this year.

They said that 126 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water could be released through the left bank canal for 30 days and 215 cusecs of water could be released through the right bank canal of the reservoir.

It has been recommended to the government that water release for irrigation from the dam could be begun from February 2. Due to consistent monsoon failures after 2011, canal irrigation had to be skipped every year with the exception of 2016.