Canals desilted before water release from Mordhana Dam in Vellore, says WRD
At present, the dam has 235.03 mcft of water as against its total storage capacity of 261.3 mcft of water
The Water Resources Department (WRD) has announced that the main canals of Mordhana Dam were cleared of silt before the dam released water for irrigation purposes for nine days, up to September 1. This information came after Vellore MP D.M. Kathir Anand raised concerns in a press release that the canals and feeder channels were not thoroughly desilted before the scheduled release, which could impact water flow, particularly in distant irrigation areas.
Assistant Engineer S. Kalipriyan of WRD confirmed that a 20-member team completed the necessary dam maintenance before the water release, responding to farmer requests. The WRD also released water downstream to help recharge groundwater in areas at least 10 km away. On average, 225 cusecs of water from the left and right canals will be released daily, equating to 174.96 mcft of water over the period.
This release will benefit paddy, groundnuts, and banana cultivation, as many water bodies in the region have dried up. Most farmers in the area rely on borewells for irrigation. The dam currently holds 235.03 mcft of water, compared to its total storage capacity of 261.3 mcft. The water from the Koundinya River, which runs through the dam, will benefit nine tanks in Gudiyatham and Katpadi taluks, supporting farming on around 2,500 acres and aiding groundwater recharge.
The left canal, restored in July 2025 under the Rehabilitation and Restoration of Lakes scheme 2024-25, is 31.84 km long, running through 19 villages and irrigating 1,710.92 hectares of farmland.
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