Chennai Rains | Water release from Chembarambakkam reservoir stepped up marginally

Chennai's Chembarambakkam reservoir water discharge increased due to intermittent rains. Water level reached 22 ft, 200 cusecs released to maintain level & avoid flooding. Reservoir spread over 25.51 sq.km. with 3,195 mcft storage. Water release to be increased gradually depending on inflow & rainfall. Kancheepuram district admin asked residents in low-lying areas to take precautions.

Water discharge from Chembarambakkam reservoir in Chennai was increased marginally on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, owing to intermittent rains.

With the waterbody receiving a steady inflow, the reservoir is fast filling up. The water level has touched 22 feet against its full level of 24 feet.

It may be recalled that the Water Resources Department had opened the reservoir’s shutter gates last month, as a precautionary measure and released a minimum of 25 cubic feet per second of water.

The water release has now been stepped up to 200 cusecs, to maintain the water level and avoid flooding in downstream areas. The reservoir received an inflow of nearly 452 cusecs from its catchment areas on Tuesday.

The water body, which is spread over 25.51 sq.km. now has a storage of 3,195 million cubic feet against its capacity of 3,645 mcft .Water discharge would be increased gradually depending on the inflow and rainfall this monsoon.

The Kancheepuram district administration has asked residents in low-lying areas, including Kundrathur and Tiruneermalai, along the Adyar river to take adequate precautions.