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Mettur Dam: Tamil Nadu to release water for irrigation on Sept 1
The Tamil Nadu government has announced that water from the Mettur Dam will be released for irrigation in the Cauvery Delta starting September 1, 2026. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is expected to officially open the sluice gates.
The decision follows a significant delay in water release, which traditionally occurs on June 12. Due to low reservoir levels and insufficient water releases from Karnataka, the customary date was missed, impacting Kuruvai paddy cultivation. Reports indicate that the area under this crop has decreased by approximately 42,000 hectares as a result.
Water Resources Minister N Anand stated that the release is planned for a 45-day period, though the exact schedule will depend on current storage levels and incoming inflows. As of late August, the dam's water level was approaching the 90-foot mark, a critical threshold for commencing irrigation operations. The government noted that while continuous irrigation was previously unfeasible due to low storage, essential drinking water supplies have been maintained.
Entities
C Joseph Vijay · C. Joseph Vijay · Cauvery Delta · Madras High Court · Mettur Dam · N Anand · N. Anand · Tamil Nadu · Tamil Nadu Government · Vijay
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is scheduled to officially open the dam for irrigation. www.dtnext.in
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Tamil Nadu government will release water from the Mettur Dam for 45 days starting September 1, 2026. www.maalaimalar.com · www.news18.com · www.newindianexpress.com · www.deccanchronicle.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The delay in water release caused the area under Kuruvai cultivation in delta districts to decrease by approximately 42,000 hectares. www.newindianexpress.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The duration and schedule of the water release will be subject to the reservoir’s current storage and incoming inflows. www.maalaimalar.com · www.news18.com · www.newindianexpress.com · www.deccanchronicle.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] At the start of the 2026–2027 irrigation year, the usable water storage in the Mettur Dam was 41.223 TMC. www.maalaimalar.com · www.news18.com