Mettur dam creates record for storing 100 ft water for 400 days

Tiruchirapalli, Sep 5 (UNI) The Stanlay reservoir at Mettur across river Cauvery has created a record of sorts by maintaining the storage of water at more than 100 ft for 400 days continously.

A senior PWD official, quoting official records told UNI that the Stanlay reservoir, the lifeline for farmers in this Delta district, was maintaining more than 100 ft mark for 400 days till this morning.

He said the dam, dedicated to the people of Tamil Nadu by Sir George Fradarick Stanlay, the then Governor-General of Madras in 1934, reported surplus water for 38 years during its long history.

Last year, it overflowed four times due to heavy rainfall and copious inflows from neighbouring Karnataka.

Similarly, 142 tmft of water was discharged through the 16 vent sluices for 81 days continously in 2005, exceeding its previous record of 79 days in the year 1964.

The water level in the dam stood at 112.610 ft this morning, against the full capacity of 120 ft.

The inflow into the reservoir was 8,957 cusecs and the discharge was 12,000 cusecs.

From Grand Anaicut in Thanjavur district, 6460 cusecs of water was let out into river Cauvery and Vennar each, 3,514 cusecs into Grand Anaicut canal and 1,505 cusecs into Coleroon river for irrigation.

UNI GSM ROY PR BS1128