CHENNAI: Amidst euphoria over the Mettur Dam in Salem district crossing the 100 feet storage level, data shows that the major reservoir in the State had brimmed 41 times resulting in flushing out surplus water ever since it was constructed in 1934. Within two years of construction, the reservoir crossed the full level in 1936 leading to draining of 14,887 million cubic feet (mcft) surplus water for over 18 days, data compiled by the State’s Water Resources Department, PWD, shows.
Water continued to touch above the full reservoir level in the next seven consecutive years till 1943 and maximum surplus draining for 57 days in 1940. The dam again was brimming in 1946, 1947 and 1948 before recording more than the full level for four more consecutive years in 1956, 1957, 1958 and 1959.
From 1971 to 1981, the dam crossed its full level leading to draining the surplus before remaining well under the full capacity for the next nine consecutive years.
As per the data, the last time the reservoir witnessed the flow of surplus water was in 2013 with draining for eight days. If the current level of huge inflow can sustain for a few more days, the reservoir will again cross the full storage level.