A steep fall in water storage at the Mettur reservoir has cast serious doubt over kuruvai cultivation across Tamil Nadu's Cauvery delta, with farmers and agricultural experts warning that the customary June 12 water release now appears unlikely. The reservoir level stood at 79 feet on Sunday — sharply lower than the 108 feet recorded during the same period last year.

How Low the Storage Has Fallen

Storage at the Mettur dam has dropped to 41.035 TMC, compared to 76.031 TMC during the corresponding period in 2025 — a decline of nearly half. The conventional threshold for releasing water for kuruvai cultivation is when reservoir levels cross 100 feet. With current levels nearly 21 feet below that mark, the scheduled opening is under serious threat.

Agricultural experts warn that storage could fall further by early June, as allocations for drinking water requirements will continue to draw down reserves, adding to pressure on irrigation planning across the delta districts.

Revised Cultivation Targets and District Breakdown

Authorities have substantially scaled back expectations for the current season. The kuruvai cultivation target has been cut to 3.44 lakh acres, down from the 6.31 lakh acres achieved in 2025. District-wise targets have been fixed at 1.57 lakh acres in Thanjavur, 97,000 acres in Tiruvarur, 87,000 acres in Mayiladuthurai, and 59,000 acres in Nagapattinam.

Agricultural activity across the delta has progressed slowly, with only about 35 per cent of the targeted area reportedly covered so far. Farmers who have already begun cultivation are relying largely on groundwater resources and borewells, while hoping for favourable southwest monsoon conditions.

A Contrast With Recent Seasons

The current crisis stands in sharp contrast to the agricultural performance of the preceding five years. Between 2020 and 2025, Mettur releases largely took place on schedule — with the exception of one season — enabling bumper harvests and helping kuruvai cultivation exceed targets in several years. Samba cultivation also recorded strong results during this period.

This is the first time in several years that the June 12 release is genuinely in question, marking a significant setback for a delta region that had grown accustomed to reliable irrigation.

Cauvery Water Allocation and Farmer Concerns

Alongside reservoir concerns, there are growing calls for ensuring that Tamil Nadu's allocated share of Cauvery water is released in accordance with established inter-state water-sharing arrangements. Farmers and advocacy groups argue that both upstream allocations and monsoon uncertainty are compounding an already difficult situation.

With water availability remaining uncertain, agricultural observers note that farmers may increasingly shift towards a single samba crop strategy — forgoing the kuruvai season entirely — in an effort to reduce risk and minimise potential losses during the current agricultural year.