Fengal effect: Waterbodies fill up, storage in reservoirs supplying water to Chennai surges by 54%

CHENNAI: Cyclone Fengal has triggered heavy rainfall in the capital Chennai and neighbouring districts of Tamil Nadu on Saturday. It led to an inflow surge in the catchment area of the city reservoirs, which increased the drinking water supply to the Metro Water board from 47% to 54% on Sunday.

The northeast monsoon’s first cyclone has brought intense spells and drenched the KTCC region (Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chennai, and Chengalpattu districts).

The heavy rain has added an additional 730 mcft of water, bringing the current water level to 6.34 TMC (total capacity of 11.75 TMC).

In addition, of the total number of 1,644 lakes in the KTCC region that fall under the Palar northern basin, at least 141 lakes had reached full capacity on November 30, and the following day, 136 tanks reached full capacity taking the total to 277 lakes.

Since Kancheepuram received 15 cm of rainfall on November 30 (Saturday) under the influence of the cyclone, the inflow into the catchment area of Chembarambakkam dam increased drastically. On Sunday, the reservoir received 2,770 cusecs of water and not a drop was discharged. Since the dam is now brimming, the inflow from Poondi reservoir to Chembarambakkam lake has been temporarily stopped.

On Sunday, the current storage level in Red Hills reservoir was 2,650 mcft (capacity of 3,300 mcft), Poondi 616 mcft, Chembarambakkam lake 2,621 mcft, Cholavaram 130 mcft, Kannankottai Thervoy Kandigai 319 mcft and Veeranam lake with 1,112 mcft of water.