Water inflow at Hogenakkal in Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery river rose to 8,000 cusecs, prompting the Dharmapuri district administration to continue its ban on coracle rides for a second day to protect tourists, Dinamalar reported.
The inflow was recorded at 8,000 cubic feet per second at 5 pm, up from 6,500 cusecs recorded at the Tamil Nadu–Karnataka border point of Biligundulu at the same time the previous day. The rise has increased water levels and flow across several waterfalls and stretches of the Cauvery at Hogenakkal.
The increase has been attributed to water released from reservoirs in Karnataka into the Cauvery in Tamil Nadu, along with rainfall in catchment areas. The areas identified in the report include Anchetty, Natrampalayam, Geretti, Biligundulu and Denkanikottai. These upstream inflows and local rainfall have contributed to the higher discharge reaching Hogenakkal.
The stronger flow has made the Main Falls, Main Aruvi, Aintharuvi, Aivarpaani and Chini Falls run with greater force. The waterfalls are among the main visitor attractions at Hogenakkal, where tourists also use coracles to travel along the river and view the falls.
The district administration extended the suspension of coracle operations after assessing the conditions in the river. The restriction was reported to be in its second consecutive day and was imposed in the interest of tourists. The measure affects one of the site’s principal visitor activities while the higher inflow continues.
The flow reading at Biligundulu provides an important indicator of the volume entering Tamil Nadu from the Cauvery system. In this instance, the reported increase from 6,500 cusecs to 8,000 cusecs in 24 hours coincided with the continuation of the safety restriction at Hogenakkal. The report did not specify when coracle services would resume or identify a threshold for lifting the ban.
The latest situation also highlights how conditions at a major river tourism destination can change quickly when upstream releases and catchment rainfall combine. For visitors, access to the river-based activity remains suspended while the district administration monitors the flow and safety conditions. The coracle ban will remain in place until the administration permits operations to restart.
