Mettur Dam's Critical Water Release Delayed for Tamil Nadu's Rice Belt in 2026

The water release from Mettur Dam, located in Salem district of Tamil Nadu, has been postponed until September 1 2026. Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay will open the gates after a poor monsoon season lowered the reservoir to about 90 feet, a level that will allow 45 days of flow critical for the paddy crop. The delay follows a pattern of late releases that have disrupted irrigation schedules in the state’s rice‑producing delta districts.

Mettur Dam is the lifeline for 16.05 lakh acres of agricultural land in 12 districts, including Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Erode, Pudukkottai, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Karur, Mayiladuthurai and Namakkal. Its water is released on two key dates each year: June 12 for the delta and August 1 for canal irrigation. In 2026, the dam will also supply surplus water to the Cauvery surplus water scheme, which pumps excess supply to lakes and tanks across four assembly constituencies.

The dam, completed in 1934 after 17,000 workers built it on the Cauvery River, can hold 93.47 tmcft at a maximum level of 120 feet. Its 214‑foot height and 1,700‑meter length were designed by Colonel W. M. Ellis under the supervision of Irish engineer Vincent Hart, with funding from the Madras Presidency. The structure still shows traces of early construction: when water recedes, the old Christian Church of Nayambadi and the Nandi statue of the Jalagandeeswarar temple become visible.

Water from the dam comes from its own catchment and from the Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dams in Karnataka. Historically, the dam has been opened on schedule 20 times for delta irrigation and 62 times for canal irrigation. In 71 years of canal releases, 35 were on schedule, 14 before, and 13 after the target date. The state’s irrigation planners estimate that 330 TMC of water is required annually, with 230 days of supply to the delta and 137 days for canal users.

The need for desilting has been highlighted by C. Varadharaj, president of the Tamil Maanila Congress (Mooppanar) farmers wing. He urged the government to maintain uninterrupted power for irrigation to protect Kuruvai crops. The government has responded by launching a ₹565 crore Cauvery surplus water scheme in 2020, aimed at filling lakes and tanks in Mettur, Omalur, Edappadi and Sankari constituencies. When reservoir levels reach 120 feet, surplus water is pumped to the Thippampatti pumping station and then distributed via a network of lift irrigation stations to lakes in Vellalapuram, Nangavalli and Kannantheri. The first phase, inaugurated by former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on February 26 2021, pumped water to four lakes. The DMK government, which took office in 2021, allocated ₹108 crore in 2023 and accelerated work. By 2025, surplus water reached 60 lakes, and an additional ₹115 crore is needed to complete the project.

The delayed release on September 1 will allow farmers in the delta and canal regions to plan sowing and harvesting of paddy and other crops. As the water level rises, the state will monitor the flow to ensure that irrigation canals and distributaries receive adequate supply. The Mettur Dam remains a cornerstone of Tamil Nadu’s agricultural economy, supporting rice production, hydroelectric power and rural livelihoods across the Cauvery basin.

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