Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Several tanks served by Periyar dam dry

Staff Reporter

Over 3,000 cusecs is overflowing wastefully into Kerala

MADURAI : Over 3,000 cusecs of water from the Periyar dam is overflowing wastefully into Kerala even as many system tanks in the five districts served by the reservoir remained to be filled.

This is the 12th time the dam is overflowing in the last 28 years ever since its height was lowered to 136 feet in 1977, according to Public Works Department data.

Ironically, on a couple of occasions the quantum of wasteful surplus has been more than that of the useful storage capacity of the dam. As against the capacity of 6118 mcft, the quantity of surplus water was 7703 mcft and 6493 mcft in 1979 and 1992 respectively. Besides, the surplus quantity was also close to the dam storage capacity on two more occasions - 5960 mcft (1989) and 5671 mcft (1997).

As the work to remove the silt deposited in the tunnel was still going on, the PWD officials could draw just 52 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu on Thursday. On Wednesday, no discharge into the Vaigai dam was possible.

Meanwhile, over 500 out of 1200 system tanks in Melur region alone did not have sufficient quantity of water. Similarly, over 50 out of 148 tanks in the Periyar-Vaigai division too required more inflow.

Water level

The water level kept raising from 138.10 feet in the morning to 138.30 feet in the evening. The morning inflow of 6647 cusecs.

The level in Vaigai dam was 68.96 feet with an inflow of 2377 cusecs and a discharge of 1841 cusecs. The combined Periyar credit stood at 9678 mcft.

Rainfall (in mm): Uthamapalayam 25, Periyar dam 16, Tekkadi 8, Sothuparai dam 6, Mettupatti, Chittampatti 5 mm each, Shanmuganadi and Madurai 4 mm each, Melur 3.2, Gudalur, Manjalar dam, Marudhanadi and Sattaiyar dam 2 mm each, Vaigai dam and Kallandiri 1 mm each.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

"Study of archaeogenetics will be promoted"
"All entitled to get information"
Move to fill up non-teaching vacancies in colleges
Paying for a crime committed 15 years ago
Bomb attack: `Victims' turn out to be the conspirators
Several tanks served by Periyar dam dry
Tanks served by Periyar dam dry
University convocation on Dec. 15
Early implementation of Madurai-Kottayam line sought
In tune with the tradition
Lawyer files case claiming fee arrears
Unique way to celebrate
Around the City
In Madurai Today

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu