Water from Vaigai dam will be released to fill 37 irrigation tanks in Usilampatti taluk of Madurai district and Nilakottai taluk of Dindigul district under the 58-Village Irrigation Canal System from Saturday.
Public Works Department officials have planned to fill up all 37 tanks with the hope that Periyar dam and Vaigai reservoir would get huge inflow during the north-east monsoon.
Vaigai dam has been overflowing since Tuesday night after the water level touched 69 feet. Besides, it got a high inflow of 3,457 cusecs on Wednesday.
Learning from past experience, the PWD officials have planned to supply water to tail-end tanks first to ensure that water reaches all system tanks.
“We can rush the flow to the tail-end tanks and fill them on priority. Last year, with the available water only 15 tanks could be filled,” said S. Leelavathi, Assistant Executive Engineer of Gundar Basin Division.
Water from Vaigai dam can be released through the 58-Village Irrigation Canal System only when the level in Vaigai dam touches 69 feet. The sluice for the flood career facility has been set up at a sill level of 67 feet in the dam.
“We expect the monsoon to bring rain until December and, hence, water can be used to fill up all 37 tanks,” Ms. Leelavathi said.
Madurai Collector S. Aneesh Sekhar and Executive Engineer (Gundar Basin Division) N. Anbuselvan inspected the irrigation system on Wednesday. Maintenance of the right branch canal and left branch canal and their distributary canals was under way.
Rainfall
Rainfall recorded in the region in the 24 hours ending at 6 a.m. on Wednesday was (in mm): Kodaikanal 14.2, Sothuparai dam 14, Natham 13.5, Veerapandi 12, Periyakulam and Manjalar dam 7 each, Dindigul 6.1, Vedasandur 5.7, Tobacco Station 5.6, Gudalur 5.3, Vaigai dam 5, Andipatti and Bodinaickanoor 4.2 mm each, Chathrapatti 4, Nilakotai 3.5, Aranmanaipudur and Tekkadi 3.6 mm each, Kamatchipuram 2.7 and Palani 2.
