Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Opens Mettur Dam Gates for Cauvery Irrigation

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay opened the sluice gates of the Stanley Reservoir at Mettur on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, releasing Cauvery water for irrigation in the state's delta districts. The ceremony, held at approximately 10 a.m., marks the first time Vijay has opened the historic dam since assuming office on May 10. The water release, scheduled to continue for 45 days, will benefit about 16.05 lakh acres of agricultural land across 12 districts, including Thanjavur, Tiruchi, and Nagapattinam. The discharge is critical for the samba cultivation season, following a delayed start to the agricultural year. The customary date for opening the Mettur dam is June 12, but the release was postponed this year due to poor monsoon rainfall and low reservoir storage levels. As of September 1, the water level in the dam stood at 91.56 feet out of a maximum of 120 feet. The government stated that the decision to release water was made after considering the reservoir's improving storage, expected inflows, and the forthcoming northeast monsoon.