{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Tamil Nadu steps up Mettur dam release to 12,000 cusecs as Cauvery delta farmers await water",
  "summary": "Tamil Nadu has raised the Mettur dam's water release to 12,000 cusecs on Monday, a move expected to bring relief to Cauvery delta farmers cultivating the Samba paddy crop.",
  "content": "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.\n\nA month of steadily rising releases\nWhen 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.\n\nWhere the reservoir stands right now\nAccording 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.\n\nRelief for delta farmers preparing their fields\nThe 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.\n\nWhat this means for you\nThe higher release from the Mettur dam will have its most direct effect on Cauvery delta farmers growing the Samba paddy crop.\n\n• Across India: The Cauvery delta is one of the country's major paddy-growing belts, so a timely and adequate water supply there can influence overall rice output and market supply later in the season. Continued steady releases would lower the risk of a shortfall in the Samba harvest.\n• In Tamil Nadu: Farmers in Cauvery delta districts will now get more water to prepare their fields and begin sowing. Those whose cultivation had been held up by a lack of water could start irrigating within the next few days.\n• Plan for uncertainty: Because the current outflow of 12,000 cusecs already exceeds the inflow of 9,709 cusecs, officials may need to scale back releases in the coming weeks if rainfall or inflow from upstream does not pick up. Farmers should factor this uncertainty into their irrigation planning.\n• Keep tracking updates: Future release decisions will depend on water level, storage and demand, so delta farmers should keep watching updates from the local irrigation department.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. How much water is currently being released from the Mettur dam?\nSince 6 am on Monday, 12,000 cusecs of water is being released from the dam.\n\n2. Why was the release increased?\nThe increase came in response to rising irrigation demand for Samba cultivation in the Cauvery delta.\n\n3. When was the dam opened?\nThe Mettur dam was opened on September 1 for Samba cultivation.\n\n4. What was the Mettur reservoir's water level on Sunday evening?\nAccording to figures recorded on Sunday evening, the water level was 92.39 feet.\n\n5. What was the recorded inflow into the dam?\nThe inflow was recorded at 9,709 cusecs, lower than the current outflow.\n\n6. How much water storage is currently available in the reservoir?\nThe available storage is around 55.35 thousand million cubic feet (TMC).",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/tamil-nadu/cauvery-delta-men-sinchai-ki-manga-barhi-mettur-bandha-se-chhora-ja-raha-12-000-kyuseka-pani-28874",
  "category": "Tamil Nadu",
  "publishedAt": "2026-09-07",
  "tags": [
    "Mettur dam",
    "Cauvery delta",
    "Samba cultivation",
    "Tamil Nadu irrigation",
    "reservoir water level",
    "cusecs release"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}