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CHAPTER 3
STUDY AREA
3.1 LOCATION
The Vaigai river basin is the one of 34 basins in the Tamil nadu state. River Vaigai is
not pernial and is one of the medium size rivers in the country. Vaigai reservoir is
constructed across Vaigai River. The river runs in the

south eastern direction and

joins the bay of Bengal. The river is 258 km long from source to sea and drains an
area of 8715sqkm in three districts of Madurai, Posumpon Muthuramalinga thever,
Ramanathapuram. The river is narrow with rocky bed in the upper reaches. Below
Madurai it widens and flattens in the bed and flows through sandy reaches. Virtually it
disappears in the large sandy tracts as its confluence with the sea. The basin is leaf
shaped and narrow down towards the bay of Bengal in the east. It lies between
geographic coordinates latitude 915N to 1020N and longitude 7710E to 7915E.
The surplus of yield about 227mcum from Periyar reservoir is diverted through
tunnels and left in the river Suruliyar after meeting the Cumbum valley demand
the Suruliyar is one of the tributary of Vaigai River.

3.2 Periyar vaigai system:

The natural flows in the Vaigai river basin were already fully utilizes at the end
of 19th century and water storage was being experienced. This led to the construction
of the Periyar trans basin scheme which made it possible to divert waters from the
Periyar basin in the state of Kerala to the Vaigai basin in tamilnadu, a dam and
reservoir were constructed on the Periyar river, and a diversion tunnel through the
western ghats conveys water from the Periyar reservoir into the Suurliyar, a tributary
of the Vaigai.
The Periyar- Vaigai system is one of the oldest irrigation systems in tamilnadu.
The system consist of two reservoir namely, Periyar reservoir and Vaigai reservoir.

The Periyay reservoir is constructed in the year 1898 across the river Periyar which
originates on the western side of Western Ghats in Kerala state and flows to the west
and joints the Arabian sea. The west flowing surplus water in the Periyar River is
impounded in Periyar reservoir, diverted to the eastern side of the western side of the
western Ghats through tunnels and let into Suruliyar river in Tamil nadu which is a
tributary to Vaigai river. The Periyar reservoir and the tunnel constitute a trans- basin.
The catchment area of the Vaigai river lies on the eastern side of the western
Ghats and it is Rainshadow region. The catchment area receives rainfall during
southwest and north east monsoon and the normal annual rainfall is 750mm the Vaigai
reservoir is mean to store the water of Vaigai river and the flows in Suriliyar river
when the water is needed for irrigation.

3.2.1 Periyar command

The Periyar-Vaigai system irrigation system consists of a regulator at Peranai
acoss the Vaigai river known as Perani regulator, downstream of Vaigai reservoir.
Peranai regulator exists since the inception of the irrigation system. The command
area which lie downstream of the Peranai regulator, and they are in the rainshadow
region of the Western Ghats. There are two canals taking off from the Peranai
regulator, one of the

left hand side of the river Vaigai known as Periyar main

canal(pmc) and other on the right hand side, known as Thirumangalam main
canal(tmc).periyar main canal is about 80 km and has a discharge capacity of 55
m3/sec are head reach. Thera are a numberof direct slucies and twelve branch canals
which take off from Periyar main canal and distribute the water for irrigation.
The Periyar main canal has another branch constructed when the system was
Rehabilited, known as Periyar extension main canal which supplies water to ayacuts,
which from one of the extension aycut area. The Thirumangalam main canal which
was constructed in 1959 is about 28 km long and has a discharge capacity of 11 m/sec
at the head reach. There are a number of direct sluices and five branch canals for
distribution of water for irrigation. Periyar main canal having a total ayacut of
78491ha and Thirumangalam main canal having a total ayacut of 9122ha.

3.2.2VAIGAI COMMAND:
The ayacut under Vaigai old systems is mostly indirect through tanks, which earlier
got their fill at times of flow in the river. The deficiency in the system was that the
tanks got their supply only during the limited period of flow in the river. To overcome
this deficiency two regulators are constructed one at Virahanur and other at
Parthibanur with canals on either sides to supply water to tanks through release from
Vaigai dam whenever there was no flow in the river. The Vaigai command is the three
segments:
a) Between Peranai regulators and Virahanur regulator(11145ha)
b) Between Virahanur regulator and Parthibanur regulator(16495ha)
c) Below Parthibanur regulator(24760ha)
The total ayacut is 55100ha. The command is mostly expect a small extant of 580 ha
Nilayur channel.

TABLE 3.1 HYDRALIC PARTICULARS OF VAIGAI RESERVOIR

1.GENERAL
River

Vaigai

Basin

Vaigai

Nearest town

Periyakulam

District

Madurai

Construction period

1954 to 1959

Purpose

Irrigation and power

Cost

Rs 330 lakhs

2. RESERVOIR
Catchment area

2253.3 sq. km(870 sq.miles)

Design flood

1780.2 cumecs

Full reservoir level

E1+279m(E1(+916.00ft

Maximum water level

279.20m(+916.00ft)

Minimum draw down level

263.72m

Dead storage level

263.652m(+865.00ft)

Capacity at FRL

194.78 Mcum (6878mcft)

Revised capacity at FRL

172.49(6091 Mcft)

Capacity at MDDL

9.56 Mcum

water spread area at MDDL

3.01Mcum

Water spread area at MDDL

24.21Mcum

Area of F.R.L

24.sqkm

Capacity at F.R.L

Gross 194.78 Mcum

Net

193.84 Mcum

Canal length

23.3 km

District benified

Melur, thirumangalum, thrupathur,

sivaganga

Dam
Type

Masonry cum earth dam

Maximum height

33.83m(111ft)

Top level of dam

E1(+)282.245m(+926.00ft)
EARTH DAM: 3243.07m(10640ft)

Length

Masonry dam: 315.468m(1035ft)

Spillway:
Vents

7 nos. 12.19m4.57m(4015)

Crest level

E1(+)274.611m(+901.00ft)

Type

Lift gates

Discharge capacity

1783.321cumecs (62978 cusecs)

River sluice
Vents

7 nos. 1.52m2.74m(59)

Sill

E1(+)257.555m(+845.00ft)

Discharge capacity

436.42 cumecs(15412 cusecs)

Drainage gallery
Number

1 No

Size

1.52m2.29m(576)

Penstock pipes
Number

2 Nos.

Size

3.05 m (10 ft) dia meter

Level

E1(+)260.06m (E1853.00ft) at entry

Discharging capacity

39.64 cumecs (1400 cusecs)

Installed power capacity

23 M Watt= 6 M. Watt

Figure 3.1 Vaigai Basin Index Map

3.3 CLIMATE AND RAINFALL

The Vaigai basin lying on the leeward side of the western Ghats misses the
benefits of the dependable south- west monsoon which is the main monsoon serving the
country. The less dependable north east monsoon, which strikes the eastern coast mostly,
accompanies by depressions and storms, sometimes generate heavy floods in the river
with the folds of the western Ghats from the east.
Vaigai basin has generally a typical tropical semi arid climate except in the hills
around Kodaikanal and Cumbam valley, the basin characteristic tropical four seasons of
india, south west monsoon June to September, north west monsoon from October to
December winter during January and February and summer from March to May. The
long term average annual rainfall over the basin is 882 mm of which 292 mm occurs in
south west monsoon 402 mm in ne monsoon, winter and 144 mm in sep in Vaigai basin
the annual rainfall is high due to orography in the hills of Kodaikanal and in the upper
part of Suruliyar basin.

3.4 SOIL AND LANDUSE

The upper Vaigai basin consists of deep red soil with a limited area of Laterite soil.
In the hills and forest areas, dark black to brownish humus soil occurs while the middle
part is covered with thin red soil. The lower middle portion consists of red sandy soil with
some red soil and pockets of black clayey soil. In the lower basin, alluvial soil is present
with saline coastal slluvium near the coast.

3.5 CROPPING PATTERN:

With respect to the cropping pattern, it could be stated that rice is predominant
crop. However, sugarcane, banana and betelvine are localisedin few areas. Sugarcane is
cultivated in and around the sugar factories of Alanganallur and Pandiyarajapuram.
DESCRIPTION OF ZONES:

Vaigai river basin is divided into five zones for detailed hydrological study, each
zone ending in a control stricter such a dam regulator etc.
These zones are:
Zone1- Above Vaigai Dam
Zone 2- Vaigai Dam to Peranai Regulator
Zone 3- peranai Regulator to Virahanoor Regulator
Zone 4- Virahanoor Regulator to Parthibanoor Regulator
Zone 5- Parthibanoor Regulator to Sea

Fig 3.2 Schematic Diagram of Vaigai River Basin

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4.3 System of Reservoirs

Regulation schedules for reservoirs operated as part of system should be prepared
separately for each reservoir, based on an integrated plan of operation and considerations
discussed in 3.3. When determining rule curves among the various reservoirs in the
system, it should, however, be noted that critical conditions may not be attained in all
projects in the system at the same time. In addition, when considering two reservoirs in
series, the upstream reservoir release schedule will bias the development of a rule curve
at the downstream one. For parallel reservoirs, the best rule curve may require
apportionment of releases from two or more reservoirs, based on available storage
capacity or other relevant criteria.
Because of the complex interdependence of system operating rules, it is usually necessary
to simulate the system operation to determine a workable regulating schedule. After
initial curves are estimated, these independent estimates should then be simulated with a
hypothetical operation of the system, to ensure that system targets are satisfied, project
objectives are maximised, and an equitable distribution of water within the system is
maintained. Thus an iterative procedure would be required for establishing operation
rules that attain these goals.

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MWL +279m
Spill zone
Flood control zone

FRL 279.20m
MDDL 263.72m

Conservation purpose zone

Dead storage zone

DSL 263.652m

Fig 3.2. Typical Storage Allocations for Various Uses are Indicated in the
reservoir

Vaigai