Authorities in Tamil Nadu raised the water release from the Mettur dam to 12,000 cusecs on Monday morning, responding to rising irrigation demand across the Cauvery delta region. The new discharge rate took effect from 6 am, marking the latest in a series of increases since the reservoir was opened on September 1 for Samba cultivation.
A month of steadily rising releases
When the Mettur dam's gates were first opened at the start of September, the release rate stood at just 3,000 cusecs. Within a matter of hours, that figure was pushed up to 7,000 cusecs, a level that was held steady for six consecutive days. As irrigation needs across the Cauvery delta intensified, officials then raised the outflow to 10,000 cusecs at 6 pm on Sunday. Barely hours later, on Monday morning, a further revision took the release to 12,000 cusecs, the fourth increase since the dam was opened.
Where the reservoir stands right now
According to figures recorded on Sunday evening, the water level in the Mettur reservoir stood at 92.39 feet. The inflow into the dam at that time was measured at 9,709 cusecs, while the available storage in the reservoir was placed at around 55.35 thousand million cubic feet (TMC). A TMC, or thousand million cubic feet, is the standard unit used to measure how much water remains banked in the reservoir, and that cushion will shape how future releases are adjusted. Notably, the current outflow of 12,000 cusecs is well above the recorded inflow of 9,709 cusecs, meaning more water is leaving the reservoir than is currently entering it, which is expected to make inflow levels a key factor guiding any future decisions on further releases.
Relief for delta farmers preparing their fields
The higher discharge is aimed squarely at delta districts where farmers depend on dam water for their Samba paddy crop. Many are currently in the process of preparing their fields and carrying out early-stage cultivation, making a steady and adequate water supply critical at this stage. Samba is one of the major paddy seasons in Tamil Nadu, and a water shortfall at the sowing stage can affect yields for the entire season, which is why farmers have been closely tracking each revision in the release schedule. Farmers in the delta region are hopeful that the increased release will meet their immediate water requirements and allow cultivation to proceed without interruption. Officials have indicated that any further decisions on releases will continue to weigh the reservoir's water level, inflow, storage capacity and irrigation demand together. For now, the increased supply has brought relief to delta farmers who rely on Cauvery river water for their Samba cultivation.
