Water from Vaigai dam to be released on July 3 to irrigate first crops in Madurai, Dindigul districts

Vaigai dam water to irrigate 45,041 acres in Madurai and Dindigul districts released from July 3.

Water from Vaigai dam to irrigate the first crop across 45,041 acres of land under the double crop area in Madurai and Dindigul districts, will be released from July 3.  

A Government Order in this regard was issued on Tuesday, July 2, 2024 to allow a continuous supply of 900 cusecs of water through the Periyar Main Canal for the initial 45 days. Thereafter, the turn system of irrigation would be implemented for the next 75 days, according to a senior engineer from Water Resources Department (WRD). 

As per norms, water to irrigate the first crop in these two districts can be released from the Vaigai dam any time after May 31, as and when the combined Periyar credit in the Mullaperiyar and Vaigai dams touched 4,000 mcft. 

However, with poor storage in the dams, the water released has been delayed for one month. Now, with the intensified monsoon in Kerala brining in good inflows to the Periyar dam and the minimum requirement of 4,000 mcft of Periyar credit achieved, water release can begin, officials said. 

On July 2, the water level at the Periyar dam was 123.75 feet (maximum permissible level is 142 feet) with an inflow of 1,322 cusecs and a discharge of 1,207 cusecs.  The water level in the Vaigai dam stood at 51.31 feet ( maximum is 71 feet) with an inflow of 848 cusecs and no discharge.