CUDDALORE: Chief Engineer of the Water Resources Department (WRD), Chennai Region, M Janaki, inspected the Veeranam Lake in Kattumannarkoil on Saturday, following an unusual rise in the lake’s water level during the summer months.
The lake, which receives water from the Lower Anicut via the Vadavaru River, typically sees depleted levels during this time of year. However, heavy rainfall in the Mettur dam catchment areas led to surplus inflow into the Lower Anicut. As a result, water was released into Veeranam Lake, which has now reached its full storage level of 47.50 feet, equivalent to 1,465 million cubic feet (mcft).
The lake plays a vital role in irrigating 44,856 acres of farmland and serves as a key source of drinking water for Chennai.
“At present, 73 cubic feet of water per second is being supplied to Chennai,” said a WRD official.
Chief Engineer Janaki was accompanied by PWD-WRO Executive Engineer K Kantharuban, Assistant Executive Engineer G Vijayakumar, and other senior officials during the inspection.