Siruthuli steps up restoration of anicuts in Coimbatore’s Noyyal river system

Siruthuli has taken up the restoration of anicuts and check dams along the Noyyal river system to improve water storage and flow of water to connected tanks.

The organisation has completed work at the Chadivayal check dam, the Mundathurai structure supported by Pricol, the Pudukadu and Kuniyamuthur anicuts supported by Karur Vysya Bank, and the Perur anicut. Work is under way at the Kurichi anicut with financial support from Rotary Coimbatore Central.

The Noyyal flows for about 160 km from the Western Ghats through Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode and Karur districts. The Coimbatore stretch of the river system has 20 anicuts and 28 tanks, which are linked through supply channels. Its basin covers about 3,550 sq. km. The river system comprises several streams and a network of anicuts and tanks that have historically supported irrigation in the region.

At Chadivayal, the structure can now hold about 30 lakh litres of water, while the Mundathurai structure can hold about 50 lakh litres. At Pudukadu, silt had reduced the capacity to about 1,000 litres. Desilting has increased its capacity to about 35 lakh litres. The Kuniyamuthur anicut can now hold about 40 lakh litres and supplies water to five lakes.

The Kurichi anicut, which has reportedly not been desilted for nearly 30 years, is being restored to improve the diversion of Noyyal water into the 334-acre Kurichi tank. The anicut has five shutters, three of which divert water to the tank.

The ongoing work includes the removal of vegetation and desilting up to one metre. The excavated silt is being used to strengthen the river bunds. Repairs to all five shutters are also being undertaken. Desilting is proposed on the south-western side of the anicut to improve water storage and groundwater recharge.

Encroachments along the anicut stretch are proposed to be cleared in coordination with the Water Resources Department.

Siruthuli said several of these structures require desilting and repairs, while supply channels need to be cleared and bunds and sluices strengthened. The restoration of the structures is intended to ensure that water flowing in the Noyyal during the monsoon is retained and diverted through the supply channels instead of passing downstream without being stored. This will help replenish connected lakes and tanks with fresh water, improve groundwater recharge and support irrigation in agricultural areas. It plans to take up the restoration of the Chithiraichavadi, Vellalore and Nanjundapuram anicuts and their supply channels in the next phase.