With decent water storage levels, Mettur Dam likely to be opened on June 12

The dam’s current storage is around 70 tmc ft, against the total capacity of 93.47 tmc ft, a little less than it was at this time last year; with a forecast for a normal southwest monsoon this year, agriculture and water resources officials have no concerns about the groundwater table

With comfortable storage levels at the Mettur dam in Salem district, the opening of the dam on the scheduled date, June 12, looks imminent, even though talk of advancing the date is doing the rounds.  

Senior government officials say no decision has been taken as yet with regard to the opening of the dam.  

As on May 15 2023, Mettur’s storage is around 70 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft), about 5 tmc ft short of the position on the corresponding day last year. The total capacity of the dam is 93.47 tmc ft.

In 2022, the dam witnessed unusually heavy inflow in the second half of May, prompting the government to commence the water release on May 24. Though there is no indication that there would be a repeat this year, the fact that the forecast of the Meteorological Department for the southwest monsoon (June-September) points to “normal to above normal” rainfall over many areas in the peninsular region is a comforting factor to officials in charge of water resources and agriculture in the State. Besides, during the northeast monsoon (October-December) in the past three years, the State received more than normal rainfall, giving no room for worry over the groundwater table. 

Due to a combination of various factors, farmers in the Cauvery delta have started raising the short-term Kuruvai crop. As on date, nearly 71,500 acres are covered, against 58,000 acres last year. In the remaining parts of the State, the coverage is around 65,500 acres, whereas it was about 64,000 acres last year.  

As of now, the fertiliser availability is 4.36 lakh tonnes including 1.66 lakh tonnes of urea and 1.86 lakh tonnes of complex.