Rapid increase in the level of Bhavani Sagar Dam has delighted farmers as the eventuality of water shortage would not arise for the ensuing cropping season.
By Wednesday evening the storage touched 13.5 tmc feet (thousand million cubic) and the level surpassed 75 feet mark.
The inflow during the last 24 hours ending 8.00 a.m. was 17,832 cusecs, raising the dam level by about 3.5 feet. Discharge of 200 cusecs and five cusecs were made into the Bhavani river and canal respectively.
The level has risen fast owing to unexpected rain in the catchment areas of Upper Bhavani, Avalanche and other dams in The Nilgiris.
The Pilloor Dam near Mettupalayam has a capacity to hold only 1.5 tmc water, the excess water has to be released into the Bhavani river. Besides, there was forceful flow into the dam from Moyar river all through Wednesday.
The storage position would ensure adequate supply for irrigation to ayacuts of all three canals: Lower Bhavani Project, Thadapalli-Arakankottai, and Kalingarayan canals.
However, water would be released into the Kalingarayan canal and Thadapalli-Arakankottai behind schedule.
The Public Works Department is awaiting Government nod for releasing water into the Kalingarayan canal on July 1. The usual schedule of June 16 could not be maintained since cleaning work is in progress and the work on construction of bridge at the 49th mile has not been completed as yet.
According to the secretary of Kalingarayan Pasana Vivasayigal Sangam S. Kulandaivelu, the delay in release suits farmers as well as the harvesting in the last crop season was carried out late. But, delay in release beyond July 1 could turn detrimental to the kuruvai crop, he observed.
Likewise, water is likely to be released into Thadapalli-Arakankottai canals only during the last week of July, by when the Public Works Department expects to complete the concrete-lining works. The concrete-lining works covering 2 km each in the two canals started during May at an outlay of Rs. 40 crore. Fifty per cent work has been completed so far, official sources said.
Water under odd turn for irrigation of 1, 03,500 acres in LBP ayacut will be released as usual on August 15, the sources added.
