Tamil Nadu delays June 12 Mettur Dam release as storage falls below 50% capacity

Officials in Tamil Nadu say the scheduled June 12 opening of the Mettur Dam, which supplies irrigation water to roughly 1.6 million acres of farmland across the Cauvery Delta, is unlikely because reservoir storage is under half of its full capacity. The dam’s level stood at 79.86 feet with about 41.81 TMC stored, far short of the 93.45 TMC needed for a timely release. Authorities will monitor rainfall and inflows in the coming days before making a final decision, warning that any delay could disrupt sowing of the short‑duration Kuruvai crop and affect other crops such as Samba and Thaladi.

The water release is critical for farmers in 12 districts, including Salem, Erode, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam. Past years have seen varied release dates depending on storage, with a delayed release until July in 2024 after insufficient inflow. Farmers are now anxiously awaiting sufficient monsoon rains to raise the dam’s level and enable the customary release.