Kozhikode on high alert as Kakkayam reservoir nears maximum level
The Kakkayam reservoir in Kozhikode is on high alert as water levels reach 97% capacity following heavy rainfall. Authorities have opened spillway gates to manage the inflow and are monitoring the situation to ensure downstream safety.
Why it matters
Effective water management is critical for preventing flooding in downstream areas and maintaining hydroelectric power stability during monsoon seasons.
A red alert remains active at the Kakkayam dam in Kozhikode district, where water levels have reached near-maximum capacity following heavy rainfall over the past two days .
The reservoir, which forms a part of the Kuttiyadi Hydroelectric Project, continues to experience tremendous inflow. To manage the rising water, engineers opened two spillway gates on Sunday (August 2, 2026), both of which at present remain open by 0.25 feet to safely discharge water downstream, an official release said.
Official measurements recorded at 7 a.m. on Monday (August 3, 2026) place the water level at 757.67 metres (2,485.8 feet), just short of its Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 758.05 metres. Total storage now stands at 33.0672 million cubic metres, representing 97.31 per cent of overall capacity.
Data from the past 24 hours underlines the severity of the inflow. The reservoir received 5.9241 million cubic metres of incoming water over the period.
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