​​Water level crosses 100 ft at Bhavanisagar reservoir in Erode

The water level at Bhavanisagar reservoir or Lower Bhavani Dam crossed 100 feet against the full reservoir level of 105 feet

The water level at Bhavanisagar reservoir or Lower Bhavani Dam crossed 100 feet against the full reservoir level of 105 feet here on July 29.

At 8 a.m., the level stood at 100.20 feet while the storage was 28.88 tmc ft against the capacity of 32.90 tmc ft. The inflow stood at 2,318 cusecs while the discharge was 100 cusecs into River Bhavani for drinking water purposes and five cusecs into the Lower Bhavani Project canal. Discharge into Arakkankottai and Thadapalli canals were stopped due to rain in the ayacut areas. Rainfall recorded in the area was 13 mm.

As per flood regulation norms, the quantum of water that could be stored in the dam every month was specified: 100 feet in June and July, 102 feet from August to October and 105 feet in November and December. “Since the average inflow in the last 24 hours was 2,465 cusecs, the surplus water was not discharged in the river”, said an engineer at the Water Resources Department. This is the fifth time that the water level had crossed 100 feet consecutively since 2018, the official said.

Farmers’ associations had earlier urged the district administration not to release water from the dam once the water level reaches 100 feet. They said that the discharge of water for irrigation in the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal would commence in August and hence discharging the surplus now would not serve any purpose.