Over 600 tanks in lower Palar Basin have over 50% water level

CHENNAI: A little over 600 tanks in the lower Palar Basin in Chennai and four other districts have touched more than 50% of their storage capacity following rains in the catchment area in the last 10 days. Of this, water level has reached its full capacity in 166 tanks.

According to data from the Water Resources Department, out of the total 1,022 tanks in five districts - Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai and Tiruvallur - 623 have water level for more than half of their total storage capacity.

Among these, a total of 186 tanks have water level ranging from 76% to 99%, while 271 tanks have water level ranging from 51% to 75% of the capacity.

With rains expected in the forthcoming days in the region, the water level in the tank may increase. Chengalpattu, which has a total of 528 tanks, recorded the most number of tanks that have filled up - 107.

As many as 45 out of 381 tanks in Kancheepuram and eight out of the 93 tanks in Tiruvannamalai have filled up. In Chennai, six of the 16 tanks have reached their full storage capacity.

There is a small increase in the water level in the reservoirs in Chennai city. Three of the major reservoirs - Thervoy Kandigai, Chembarambakkam and Puzhal - have touched 85% of their storage capacity.

Water level stood at 87.20% of the full storage capacity of 500 million cubic feet (tmcft) of Thervoy Kandigai, while Chembarambakkam and Puzhal had water level of 86.09% and 84.24% respectively.

Cholavaram's water level stood at 67.44% of its storage capacity, and Poondi had 58.22% water level.

Water level stood at 74.04% of the total storage capacity in Veeranam.