Mettur dam reaches its full capacity for sixth time this year | Coimbatore News

SALEM: Water level in Mettur dam reached its full capacity of 120 feet in the early hours of Tuesday. With an inflow of 37,532 cubic feet per second (cusecs), the dam filled for the sixth time this year. Revenue department officials advised residents in low-lying areas to relocate to safer locations as surplus water is being released from the dam. On Tuersday, the water level of the Mettur dam stood at 120 feet, with a water reserve of 93.47 TMC feet. Water was being discharged at a rate of 23,077 cusecs through the hydroelectric power stations and the rest through the surplus water outlet. Additionally, water is being released at a rate of 800 cusecs via the upper sluices to the East-West Canal for irrigation purposes.Heavy rain in the catchment areas has caused the Kabini and Krishnarajasagar dams in Karnataka to fill, leading to excess water being released into the Cauvery. This surplus water increased the inflow to Mettur dam.The dam filled to its full capacity for the first time on June 29, again on July 5, the third time on July 20, the fourth time on July 25 and for the fifth time on Aug 20. A water resources department official told TOI that the Mettur dam’s water level surpassed the 100 feet on Oct 23 of the previous year. “It is significant to note that, owing to persistent rainfall since that date, the dam’s water level has remained above 100 feet for the 316th consecutive day on Tuesday,” he said.