Irrigation

Company engineers begin remodelling the Grand Anicut

Captain Caldwell was appointed in 1804 to study the Kaveri and raised the ancient Grand Anicut to send more water to the delta.

Arthur Cotton builds the Upper Anaicut at Mukkombu

Arthur Cotton built the Upper Anaicut regulator where the Kollidam branches from the Kaveri, between 1836 and 1838.

Periyar lease agreement with Travancore

A 999-year lease for the Periyar irrigation works, signed by Travancore and the Secretary of State for India, later underpinned the Mullaperiyar dispute.

Madras and Mysore sign the 1892 Cauvery agreement

After an 1890 conference, the Madras Presidency and Mysore signed an agreement on the use of the Cauvery's waters.

Mullaperiyar Dam completed

The Periyar dam, built under John Pennycuick between 1887 and 1895, began diverting water east to the Madurai region of the Madras Presidency.

Cauvery arbitration award on the Kannambadi dam

Arbitration under the 1892 agreement let Mysore build a Kannambadi dam smaller than it had planned; an appeal by Madras led to the 1924 agreement.

Mettur Dam completed

The Mettur Dam across the Cauvery was completed, creating the Stanley Reservoir and expanding irrigation in the delta.

K. Kamaraj becomes Chief Minister

After Rajaji's resignation, K. Kamaraj became Chief Minister of Madras State and served for over nine years.

Lower Bhavani (Bhavanisagar) Dam completed

Work was completed on the Bhavanisagar Dam over the Bhavani river, the first major irrigation project of independent India.

Amaravathi Dam built

The Amaravathi Dam was built across the Amaravathi river near Udumalpet for irrigation and flood control.

Krishnagiri Reservoir Project dam opened

Chief Minister K. Kamaraj inaugurated the Krishnagiri dam across the Thenpennai river.

Sathanur Dam completed

The Sathanur Dam across the Thenpennai river near Tiruvannamalai became operational under the Second Five Year Plan.

Manimuthar Dam built in Tirunelveli

The Manimuthar Dam was built near Kallidaikurichi in Tirunelveli district to store monsoon water for irrigation.

Vaigai Dam inaugurated

Chief Minister K. Kamaraj inaugurated the Vaigai Dam, which supplies irrigation and drinking water to Madurai and the southern districts.

Aliyar Dam of the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project inaugurated

Prime Minister Nehru inaugurated the Aliyar Dam, part of the inter-state Parambikulam-Aliyar irrigation project.

Mullaperiyar lease agreement renewed with Kerala

The 1886 Periyar lease was renewed by Tamil Nadu and Kerala in 1970, with a higher rent and a new charge on power produced from the water.

Mullaperiyar dam safety dispute begins

Kerala's safety fears about Mullaperiyar dam after the 1979 Morvi disaster led Tamil Nadu to cut its storage level to 136 feet and reinforce the structure.

Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal constituted

On a Supreme Court direction, the Union government set up a tribunal to adjudicate the Kaveri water dispute between Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry.

Koonthankulam declared a bird sanctuary

The village tank at Koonthankulam in Tirunelveli district, a major nesting site for waterbirds, was declared a bird sanctuary.

Karaivetti declared a bird sanctuary

A freshwater lake in Ariyalur district that attracts thousands of migratory birds was declared a bird sanctuary by the Tamil Nadu government.