Mettur Dam opened for Cauvery delta samba irrigation, 45-day release under way
1 September 2026
The Mettur Dam release that began on 1 September 2026 is planned to run for 45 days, to mid-October 2026, depending on storage and inflow. Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay released the water on 1 September. The dam stood at 91.56 feet against a full level of 120 feet, with storage of 54.45 tmc ft. The delta districts of Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai depend on the water for samba cultivation.
Release period:
45 days from 1 September 2026
Water level before release:
91.56 feet
Full level:
120 feet
Storage at release:
54.45 tmc ft
Why it matters for exams: Cauvery water sharing and the Mettur dam are recurring river-dispute and geography topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
tmc ft thousand million cubic feet — A unit used to measure reservoir storage in southern India.
Samba Samba paddy season — The main paddy crop of Tamil Nadu's Cauvery delta, sown after the Kuruvai season.