Storage up in dams with monsoon’s blessings, crosses 75%; Chennai falls behind 50%

CHENNAI: With reservoirs having a significant inflow following moderate to heavy rainfall across districts, the State's overall water storage level is likely to see a significant rise. Currently, reservoirs across the State have a combined storage of 75% of their total capacity.

Moderate to heavy rainfall over the last few weeks in various districts, especially Delta and southern regions, have had a positive impact on increasing storage of reservoirs in TN which have a total capacity of 224.297 thousand million cubic feet (tmc).

In addition, a new system over the southwest Bay of Bengal is gaining strength and is likely to bring heavy rainfall to several parts of the central and southern regions of the State.

However, Chennai and districts along the northern coastal line have received less rainfall, and the cumulative storage in the State capital city’s reservoirs is less than 50% of their full capacity. Nonetheless, Public Works Department officials are hopeful of a good spell of rainfall in the northern parts of the State this monsoon, which ends on December 31.

Currently, the reservoirs in the State hold 75.02% (168.259 tmc) of their full capacity. Six reservoirs, including three in the Coimbatore region, are brimming with water, while the water level is above 90% in 13 reservoirs, many are on the verge of filling up.

As many as 14 reservoirs have water levels above 70% of their full capacity, while storage is nill in 4 of them. Stanley reservoir in Mettur, the largest in the State, holds 76.045 tmc as against its total capacity of 93.470 tmc. The steady inflow from Cauvery upstream, following frequent rainfalls in Karnataka, aided TN in improving its water storage level.

In Kanniyakumari district the water level in five reservoirs stands between 61% and 97%, except for the Poigaiyar reservoir which is low at 22.91%.

When it comes to tanks, 2,189 out of 14,139 have filled up in the State. A total of 588 tanks in Kanniyakumari are brimming to its level, while 388 tanks in Madurai are filled up. Across the State, the storage levels of 2,685 tanks range from 76% to 99%. However, as many as 782 tanks have nil storage.

Since the interior and southern districts have been receiving moderate to heavy rainfall due to the existing weather system, this will bring more inflow to the reservoirs and further increase the water storage levels in the coming weeks. Additionally, a new system is developing over the southeast Bay of Bengal, and it is likely to bring more rain to the southern districts around November 23, said a PWD official, quoting the IMD's forecast.

‘Up’date

90 reservoirs in the State have a total capacity of 224.297 tmc

168.259 tmc is the present storage across TN reservoirs,

75.02% storage capacity has been reached

76.045 tmc storage in Mettur reservoir as against its capacity of 93.470 tmc

14,139 tanks across TN

2,189 brimming to their capacity

2,685 tanks have touched 76%-99% storage

2,195 of water bodies have 51%-75% water

2,565 tanks have reached 26%-50% of their capacity

3,723 tanks are at 1%-25% storage

782 tanks are at zero storage level

*As of Nov 21