The widespread rainfall experienced by the district in the recent past has led to reasonable increase in groundwater level.
About 30 major lakes and tanks under the maintenance of Public Works Department and village panchayats in the district have filled up. Major lakes such as Kannankurichi, Mookaneri, Omalur Big Tank, Poolavari, and Attur Muttal have reached their full capacity. The district has received more rainfall compared to the last two years. This has led to an increase in the ground water level by 5 metres in areas such as Yercaud, Kannankurichi, Omalur, Attur. The water level has also improved in more than 1.15 lakh farm wells and 9,829 borewells across the district. Farm wells in Edappadi, Poolampatti, Sithur, are brimming.
In Poolampatti, the transplantation of paddy has already been completed. The present water position is adequate for raising the paddy crop in the current season and also in the next season, said Natesan, convener of the Uzhavar Mandram.
Intermittent showers
The Salem city and other parts of the district experienced intermittent showers on Saturday night and on Sunday. Yercaud received downpour since Sunday morning. The continuous rainfall disappointed a large number of tourists from neighbouring Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Thammampatti received 18.2 m.m. rainfall in the last 24 hours that ended at 8 a.m. on Sunday, followed by Attur 10.5 m.m.; Yercaud 7 m.m.; Vazhappadi 6 m.m. and Omalur 1 m.m.
Mettur Dam
The water level in the Mettur Dam rose to 87.95 feet on Sunday evening against its full level of 120 feet. The storage level of the dam stood at 50.339 tmc against its full capacity of 93.470 tmc.
The dam was receiving an increased inflow of 9,978 cusecs. About 500 cusecs was discharged from the dam for farm activities in Delta region and another 300 cusecs for farm activities under the dam’s East-West canal system in Salem, Namakkal and Erode districts, the PWD sources said.
