Thamirabarani River

 

 Vanathirtham Falls - Origin of Thamirabarani

Papanasam Reservoir

The Thamirabarani contains traces of [[copper]], hence its name (''Thamiram'' means copper in [[Tamil language|Tamil]]). The copper content gives it a distinct reddish shade. The river has also been historically known as '''Porunai'''. Thamaraparani in Tamil is '''ThAn Marantha Para Nir''' means the river which spreads forgetting itself.The river is 130 kilometers in length and the Thamirabarani basin is situated between latitudes 8.21` N and 9.13` N and between 77.10` E longitudes. The forty metres deep Vanatheertham waterfalls are located near the origin of the Thamirabarani River. The river is feed by its tributaries as well as by monsoons.

The Thamirabarani has several tributaries, which join at different points during its course. The tributaries Peyar, Ullar, Karairar and Pamba joins near the Papanasam Reservoir. A major tributary of Thamirabarani is the Servalar River, which joins at a distance of 22 kilometers from its origin. The Manimuthar River, which originates in the Agathimalai Ranges and joins Thamirabarani near Ambasamudram. Gadana River joins at a distance of 43 kilometres from its origin. The Pachaiyar River joins near Gopalasamudram. The Chittar River flows for seventy-three kilometers before joining the Thamirabarani.

Tamirabarani river system

The important irrigation channels branching off from both the banks of the river Tamiraparani are, South Kodaimelalagian channel, North Kodaimelalagian channel (Kodaimelalagian anaicut), Nathiyunni channel (Nathiyunni anaicut), Kannadian channel (Kannadian anaicut), Kodagan channel (Ariyanayagipuram anaicut), Palayam (Palavur anaicut) channel, Tirunelveli channel (Suthamalli anaicut), Marudur Melakkal, Marudur Keelakkal (Marudur anaicut), South Main Channel and North Main Channel (Srivaikundam anaicut). Of these the first seven anaicuts were constructed during the period of ancient and medieval rulers and the last anaicut namely the Srivaikundam anaicut was constructed and completed by the British in 1869
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List of dams across Thamirabarani river

1. Kodaimelaalagain anaicut 1281.67Hectares
2. Nathiyunni anaicut 1049.37 Hectares
3. Kannadian anaicut 2266.69 Hectares
4. Ariyanayagipuram anaicut 4767.30Hectares
5. Palavur anaicut 3557.26Hectares
6. Suthamalli anaicut 2559.69Hectares
7. Marudur anaicut 7175.64Hectares

List of channels:

1. South Kodaimelalagain channel
2. North Kodaimelalagain channel
3. Nathiyunni channel
4. Kannadian channel
5. Kodagan channel
6. Palayam channel
7. Tirunelveli channel
8. Marudur Melakkal
9. Marudur Keelakal

The river drains with its tributaries an area of about 4400 km². As most of its extensive catchments areas lay in the Western ghats, the river enjoys the full benefit of both the monsoons which make the river perennial. Since all its tributaries are arising from the Western ghats, the river is prone to heavy floods especially during the northeast monsoon.