Water released from eight lakes to prevent floods in Chennai during monsoon

Engineers concerned have been asked to keep the water level at eight lakes as per the Standard Operating Procedure of the Water Resources department

In a bid to prevent floods in residential areas near waterbodies in Greater Chennai Corporation limits during the northeast monsoon, the Water Resources department has started releasing water from eight lakes in Korattur, Madhavaram, Kolathur, Porur, Ambattur, Ayapakkam, Paruthipattu and Thirunindravur.

Water will be released at frequent intervals while maintaining the level as per a prescribed Standard Operating Procedure. Instructions have been issued to the assistant engineers in this regard. However, the executive engineers have been empowered to decide the water level to be maintained as per the forecast for the northeast monsoon. 

Of the four non-ayacut tanks with shutters, the water level stood at 14.3 metres in Porur lake on Monday. By November 30, the water level may touch 14.6 metres, 14.9 metres by December 15 and 15.5 metres by December 31.

Similarly, the water level in Kolathur lake will range from 7.4 metres to 8.6 metres during the same period. Madhavaram lake will maintain the water level ranging from 6.2 metres to 7.4 metres. The water-level at Korattur lake will be kept from 10 metres to 11.2 metres during the northeast monsoon. 

Four lakes in Ambattur, Ayapakkam, Paruthipattu and Thirunindravur do not have shutters. The engineers concerned have been asked to maintain the water level from 15.7 metres to 16.9 metres in Ambattur tank. In Ayapakkam tank, the water level will be maintained in the range of 16.8 metres to 18 metres. On Monday, the water level in Paruthipattu tank was maintained at 22 metres. In Thirunindravur, the water level will be maintained between 31 metres and 32.6 metres.

Many of the residential areas such as Korattur were flooded during the northeast monsoon in 2021. About 1,600 cusecs of water was released daily from the Korattur tank during the monsoon in 2015.