Sathanur dam opened to aid shutter works

The dam has been receiving copious inflow and the storage rose to 97.20 feet against its full tank level (FTL) of 119 feet. However, work is presently under way to replace the dam’s 20 shutters, which became decrepit due to age, at a cost of Rs 55 crore.

Officials told DT Next that “this is a three-year project and though only one year’s work has been completed, we expect the entire process to be fully over in another year. Hence, if the dam receives heavy inflow and touches FTL, it will affect the ongoing shutter works.” Hence, officials said, a GO has been issued allowing to store water only up to 97 feet. “Water in excess of 97 feet will be discharged through the left and right bank canals and to the old Tirukoilur ayacut,” officials added.

So, 500 cusecs was being released through the left and right bank canals to benefit 88 irrigation tanks, while another 500 cusecs was being released to the old Tirukoilur ayacut, officials averred.

Once the shutters were replaced, storage would then be increased to the FTL of 119 feet. The dam was last opened in February when the storage reached a height of 111 feet to benefit 38,000 acres in Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Kallakurichi districts, officials said.