Table of Contents
Gayathri Medium Irrigation Project JI02686
| # | Attribute | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Irrigation Project Name | Gayathri Medium Irrigation Project |
| 2 | Irrigation Project Name Alias | |
| 3 | Purpose | Irrigation |
| 4 | Type | Medium |
| 5 | Engineering Type | Storage, Diversion |
| 6 | Status | Completed |
| 7 | State | Kerala |
| 8 | Districts Benefited | Palakkad |
| 9 | Basin | West flowing rivers from Tadri to Kanyakumari |
| 10 | River | Chulliyar,Meenkara |
| 11 | Project Sharing | None |
| 12 | Intercountry | None |
| 13 | Interbasin | No |
| 14 | Work Started in 5 Year Plan | II-Plan |
| 15 | Completed in 5 Year Plan | III-Plan |
| 16 | Project Approval Status | Planning Commission |
| 17 | Year of Approval by Planning Commission | 1957 |
| 18 | Approved Cost (Rs. in cr) | 2.2 |
| 19 | Actual Cost (Rs. in cr) | 2.45 |
| 20 | Culturable Command Area (CCA) (th ha) | 5.47 |
| 21 | Ultimate Irrigation Potential (UIP) (th ha) | 10.9 |
| 22 | Potential Created (PC) (th ha) | 10.9 |
| 23 | Project Covered under ERM Scheme | No |
| 24 | Project Covered under CADA Scheme | Yes |
| 25 | Project Covered under AIBP Scheme | No |
| 26 | Studies Conducted | |
| 27 | Project Covered under Tribal Sub-Plan | |
| 28 | Project Covered under Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP) | |
| 29 | Remarks | Meenakara dam constructed under stage - I and Chulliyra Dam constructed under Stage - II |
| # | Name | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cheramangalam Weir | Barrage/ Weir/ Anicut (BWA) |
| 2 | Chulliar (Gayathri Stage-II) (Id) Dam | Dam |
| 3 | Meenkara (Gayathri Stage I) (Id) Dam | Dam |
Introduction
The Gayathri project in Palakkad district is one of the medium projects of Kerala. This project includes two reservoirs namely Meenkara Reservoir (Stage I ) and Chulliar Reservoir (Stage II) and canal system. The Meenkara river and Chulliar river are the tributaries of Gayathri river. The Meenkara reservoir in Meenkara river is at a point 2.5 miles up stream of its confluence with Chulliar river and Chulliar reservoir is at a point about 1.5 miles upstream of its confluence with Meenkara river of Bharathapuzha river basin. The above two reservoirs are situated in Palakkad District very close to the Tamil Nadu boundary Majority of the catchment area are in Anamalai hills and plains of Tamil Nadu.
The construction of Meenkara dam was started in 1956 and completed in 1964. The Chulliyar dam was started in 1961 and completed in 1970.
The project received approval of the Planning Commission in the year 1957 for an estimated cost odf Rs 1.26 crore. The revised estimate of the Project received Investment Clearance of Planning Commission in the year 1964 for an estimated cost of Rs 2.20 crore.
Chulliar dam
The Chulliar dam is a masonry gravity dam for a length of 555 m and Zonal type earthen dam for 1200 m. The maximum height of the dam is 30.50m and the capacity of the reservoir is 13 .70 Mm3. The water-spread area. is 165 sq.km at FRL and the catchment area is 27.80 sq.km. There are 3 Nos. ogee type spillway of 30 m length with vertical lift type of crest gates including operating system. The ayacut of the project is 2430 Ha (CCA). The main source of water for both reservoirs are mainly from rain during the South-west and North-east monsoon.
Meenkara dam
The Meenkara project consists of an earthen gravity Meenkara dam for a length of 934 m with a masonry spillway portion of 30 m. The maximum height of the dam is 19.9 m and the capacity of the reservoir is 11.30 Mm 3. The reservoir has a water spread area of 249.5 sq. km at FRL. The total ayacut is 3035 ha (CCA). An ogee type spillway has been provided with 2 Nos of 12.19 x 4.57 m size crust gate of vertical lift type and operating system.
