THANJAVUR: Thanks to the steady flow in the Cauvery river and good southwest monsoon rain in neighbouring states, nearly two-thirds of the 737 system tanks in the delta districts are having more than 50% storage, a sharp contrast to last year when less than one-third of the tanks had reached the level.
The four delta districts – Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, and Pudukkottai – together have 737 system tanks. Of these, Thanjavur has the highest number of tanks with 537, followed by Pudukkottai (170), Tiruvarur (28), and Mayiladuthurai (2).
Located mostly in tail-end areas, these tanks are vital for irrigation. In Thanjavur, 38 of the 537 tanks have reached full capacity compared to 19 last year. Another 113 tanks hold between 75% and 100%, while 184 are in the 50-70% range.
Pudukkottai district, with 170 tanks, has one at full capacity, while 62 are at 75%-100% and another 62 between 50%-75%. “All the system tanks in the delta will attain full capacity during the northeast monsoon,” a Water Resources Department (WRD) official said, pointing out that September and October usually see the heaviest inflows.
This year, however, the continuous discharge into rivers – especially through the Grand Anaicut and Vennaru – has already boosted storage beyond 50% in most tanks. A key factor was the timely opening of Mettur dam on June 12, unlike last year’s delayed release on July 28.
The dam has since reached full reservoir level four times, aided by surplus flows released by Karnataka. Normal southwest monsoon rainfall in Thanjavur has further improved the storage. Farmers are upbeat about the situation.
“The tanks in villages around Pattukkottai, Peravurani in Thanjavur, and Nagudi in Pudukkottai have good storage this year. Samba paddy cultivation, which depends on tank water, will greatly benefit,” said K A Koothalingam, a farmer from Pallathur in Thanjavur.