Inflow increases, storage rises at Mettur dam

COIMBATORE: Water released at Biligundlu, the entry point of Cauvery river into Tamil Nadu from Karnataka, rose steadily to 16,700 cusecs on Friday.

Inflow has increased gradually from 10,000 cusecs on Wednesday to 13,500 cusecs on Thursday and further to 16,700 cusecs on Friday. The increase in combined discharge from Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) dam and Kabini dam in Karnataka comes in the wake of the Tamil Nadu government moving the Supreme Court demanding its share of Cauvery water. Meanwhile, continuing rains in the catchment areas has also come as a blessing in disguise.

Due to a surge in inflow, the Hogenakkal main falls, ‘aintharuvi’ and cine falls remained in full flow. As the water flow is likely to go up further, the officials of the Central Water Commission (CWC) are maintaining a constant watch in Biligundlu. The coracle services remained suspended for the third consecutive day and tourists, who thronged the falls, returned disappointed.

Meanwhile, the storage position of Mettur dam witnessed a slight increase from 53.010 feet as against its full reservoir level of 120 feet on Thursday, 8 am to 53.500 feet on Friday morning because of an increase in inflow. From 3,260 cusecs on Thursday, the inflow shot up to 9,938 cusecs on Friday, while 6,000 cusecs was released from the dam for delta irrigation.