The Tamil Nadu Government has announced that water from the Mettur Dam in Salem district will be released for irrigation in the Cauvery Delta region from September 1, which will help farmers who have been waiting for the reservoir to reach a sufficient level. The release will be for 45 days and depending on the storage position and inflow into the reservoir. The sluice gates will be opened formally on September 1 by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for delta irrigation.
The decision was announced by Rural Development and Water Resources Minister N Anand with continuing water shortage still an issue in the Cauvery basin. The state government said this decision was taken even though it had not received enough rain for the southwest monsoon and the Cauvery Delta farmers’ needs in terms of drinking water and irrigation was in view of the Cauvery Delta water demand and farmers’ water needs. In addition to farmers’ concerns, the general public was also part of the reason for the decision to take action.
The Mettur Dam is considered a vital source of irrigation water for the Cauvery Delta, where agriculture, especially paddy cultivation, depends heavily on regulated releases from the reservoir. The usual opening date for the dam for delta irrigation is June 12, but this year the release was postponed because of insufficient storage and worries over inflows. The usable storage at the beginning of the 2026-27 irrigation year is only 41.223 TMC, so an early and sustained irrigation release is very difficult.
In the state government, insufficient water supply from reservoirs in Karnataka to Mettur Dam was one of the factors that prevented the earlier opening of the dam. In addition to that, Tamil Nadu also had to maintain a minimum storage level of around 10 TMC in the reservoir to meet the required water levels. The government has maintained that drinking water needs were the priority and the Cauvery water supply was maintained as the water supply of Tamil Nadu was made up of drinking water.
The scheduled release of water on September 1 is of particular importance to farmers on the Cauvery Delta. The delay in opening has caused uncertainty for agricultural activity as farmers need water to grow crops. The government's decision to release water for 45 days should also allow farmers to go ahead in irrigation, although actual water will be made available only on reservoir storage and the inflows.
The announcement also comes at a time when the conflict between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka is intensifying over sharing of Cauvery water. Tamil Nadu has repeatedly claimed that Karnataka is failing to release the water as required by the water sharing arrangements. The state has taken up the matter in the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), Cauvery Water Regulation mechanism and Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court recently ordered Tamil Nadu to raise its grievance on Karnataka's release of Cauvery water before the CWMA. Tamil Nadu claimed that it was not receiving the proportionate amount of water to which it was entitled. But the court observed that Karnataka had released water in line with the CWMA's direction and asked Tamil Nadu to approach the authority with its specific grievance. The issue is scheduled to be taken up again on August 31.
The legal dispute follows an earlier CWMA direction requiring Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. Tamil Nadu had approached the Supreme Court seeking enforcement of the direction, arguing that the stipulated quantity had not been fully implemented. The state had sought a total release equivalent to 4.536 TMC over the 15-day period.
The issue has added pressure on Tamil Nadu government as it aims to balance agricultural requirements with drinking water security. The state government has argued that adequate inflows from the Cauvery basin are necessary for Mettur to have water and irrigation of the Delta.
With the release date of September 1 now on the way, preparations will be intensified across the Delta districts. The Agriculture Department will also be asked to ensure the availability of the agricultural inputs, seeds and fertilisers so farmers can use the irrigation window.
Mettur, Tamil Nadu: Chief Minister Joseph Vijay is expected to release Cauvery water from Mettur Dam for Delta irrigation for 45 days from September 1. Preparations and security arrangements are underway pic.twitter.com/Ci3OQ4iWjZ
— IANS (@ians_india) August 27, 2026
However, officials have made it clear that the 45-day release will not be unconditional. The quantity and continuity of water supplied will depend on the amount of water stored in Mettur Dam and the inflow received during the period. This is why monitoring the Cauvery basin and reservoir levels is so important.
The delayed opening of Mettur Dam highlights the perennial challenges faced by Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery Delta farmers during years of uncertain rainfall and water disputes among the states. While the release of September 1 is some relief, the availability of water during the irrigation season will depend on rainfall, flows and Cauvery water sharing decisions.
The opening of the dam is a great chance for farmers to return to agriculture after weeks of uncertainty. Meanwhile, for the Tamil Nadu government, its water levels are needed for irrigation and drinking water and for the state to maintain sufficient reservoirs for both irrigation and drinking water as the state is negotiating and legal battles and trying to obtain a share of the Cauvery water rights.
