Krishnagiri: Agricultural activities in Krishnagiri district received a major boost on Thursday as authorities opened the sluice gates of both the Krishnagiri Reservoir Project (KRP) dam and the nearby Barur big lake to facilitate irrigation for the first crop cultivation season. The water release will ensure crucial water supply for local farmlands.Water from the KRP dam, constructed across the Thenpennai River, will be released through its right and left bank canals for a period of 120 days at a continuous flow rate of 151 cubic feet per second (cusecs). “This is set to directly benefit approximately 10,000 acres of fertile agricultural land spanning 16 village panchayats, including Periyamuthur, Gundalapatti, Errahalli, Paiyur, Kalvehalli, Thimmapuram, Chowttahalli, and Penneswaramadam,” said district collector Dinesh Kumar.Alongside the dam’s release, the sluice gates of the Barur big lake near Pochampally were also opened to supply the east and west main canals. The lake will discharge 361 million cubic feet of water over 130-days till November 22, to support 2,397 acres of farmland.To manage the reservoir resources efficiently, a rotational water management strategy will be implemented for the Barur big lake supply. “Water will be discharged continuously for the first five days to support nursery cultivation and seed sowing,” the collector said, adding that following this initial phase, the system will switch to a cyclical schedule where the gates will remain open for three days and closed for four days, distributing an average of 6 million cubic feet of water daily based on inflow conditions and storage levels.Reviewing the water release plans at both locations, the district collector earnestly appealed to the farming community to practice prudent water conservation methods, emphasising that managing the water efficiently will secure long-term sustainability and maximise overall crop yields for the season.Earlier, the collector inaugurated the water release at both sites by showering flower petals. The events were attended by elected officials, including Bargur MLA E C Govindasan (AIADMK), Krishnagiri MLA P Mukundhan (TVK), WRD officials, and members of the farming community.(Photo: S Parthiban)
