Tamil Nadu To Release Mettur Water From September 1 For Delta Irrigation

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay will release water from the Stanley Reservoir at Mettur on September 1 for delta irrigation, with the release planned for 45 days, subject to the reservoir's storage and inflows.

The state government said the decision was taken considering Tamil Nadu's drinking water requirements and the irrigation needs of the Cauvery delta, amid inadequate rainfall during the Southwest Monsoon. The move also follows the government's efforts to secure Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water from Karnataka through the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee, Cauvery Water Management Authority and the Supreme Court.

The government said water available for use at the beginning of the 2026-27 irrigation year was only 41.223 TMC, while inflows from Karnataka's reservoirs were inadequate. It also had to maintain a minimum storage of 10 TMC in Mettur, making continuous irrigation releases difficult. However, water continued to be supplied to meet essential drinking water requirements.

The release of water from Mettur for delta irrigation is traditionally undertaken on June 12, subject to adequate water availability. This year, however, the release has been delayed until September 1. The protracted delay, coming amid the legal tangle with neighbouring Karnataka over the non-release of Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water as quantified under the Cauvery tribunal award and upheld by the Supreme Court, has already affected Kuruvai cultivation, according to farmers. Farmers estimate that the area under Kuruvai has declined by around 42,000 hectares this year.

The September release is expected to provide an opportunity for farmers to take up Samba cultivation in 4.35 lakh hectares, with the government directing the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department to make immediate arrangements for cultivation in the delta districts.

Cauvery Dhanabalan, President of the Federation of Cauvery Tamil Nadu Farmers Associations, told NDTV, "In the given circumstances, it's an ideal date for release, as any further release would compound our problems during the monsoon. Now we can go for Samba, a mid-variety that would yield in 130 to 145 days."

The Water Resources Minister's statement said the decision was based on the gradual improvement in Mettur's storage, expected inflows and the anticipated Northeast Monsoon, while taking into account drinking water and delta irrigation requirements.