In a bid to ensure the smooth flow of water from the Kuttanad region, the Irrigation Department will deepen and widen the Thottappally estuary and channel.
The department has submitted a proposal to the State government to remove the sand deposits. “We have submitted a proposal to the State government and is awaiting the final nod. We expect to commence the work soon. The estuary will be widened and deepened by removing sand and silt deposit. This will allow the smooth flow of water into the sea,” an official with the Irrigation Department said.
The decision was taken after it noticed that the sand and silt deposit has reduced the water evacuation capacity.
Spillway’s role
The Thottappally spillway has long played a major role in controlling floods and salinity in Kuttanad. It has helped to drain the floodwaters from Kuttanad during the recent deluge, but rather slowly.
Although, the Irrigation Department had removed a portion of the sand deposit from the estuary as Kuttanad started to inundate in August, it turned out to be insufficient and invited criticism from various quarters.
The spillway channel with a length of 4,300 ft and bed width of 1,200 ft was constructed 64 years ago at a cost of ₹ 51.5 lakh. It was intended to expedite draining out the floodwaters into the sea and thus creating conditions favourable for raising two crops in the Kuttanad region.
As per the original plan, when the shutters are fully open, the spillway will discharge 64,000 cusecs at level plus 103.25 (Datum mean sea level (MSL) being assumed at plus 100.00). The maximum probable flood level when the spillway is functioning will be plus 105.00 as against plus 108.00 recorded in the 1924 flood.