HISTORY

The Kanhirapuzha Irrigation project is one of the Medium Irrigation System implemented in Palakkad district in Kerala State.  The detailed investigation of this scheme was started in 1947 and the project was originally estimated in 1954 for a cost of Rs.365 lakhs.The project was partially commissioned in 1980 .  The aim of Kanhirapuzha irrigation project initially was to irrigate and supply water for the 2nd crop and also supplement the rainfall dependent crops in the season between the southwest and northeast monsoon in December and January.  The cultivation prior to the completion of the project was dependent entirely on rainfall which is heavy in the catchment area but unevenly distributed.  All low laying lands that can retain some moisture could raise two crops, which the high level lands could raise only single crop.  The seeds for the 1st crop, which coincide with southwest monsoon are laid in the month of May.  After 2 or 3 downpours and as soon as this is harvested, the land is prepared for other crops like banana, ginger, pulses and other vegetations.

Kanhirapuzha irrigation project comprises of a storage reservoir of 70.82 million cubic meter capacity, by constructing an earth cum masonry dam of 2128m .length across KanhirapuhaRiver at Pulikkal in Kanhirapuzha Grama Panchayath.  The KanhirapuzhaRiver is a tributary of the Thuthapuzha, which is a tributary of Bharathapuzha.  The Catchment are of the vier above dam site is 70 sq km.  which is entirely in KeralaState.  The head works of the project is located at 13 km from Mannarkkad and 43 from Palakkad.