Mangalam Project comprises a dam across Cherukunnam river, a tributary of Mangalam river which joins the ‘Gayathri’ river and then the Bharathapuzha River, with a net work of canal system to irrigate 3440 ha. of land in Alathur taluk of Palakkad district. The project was taken up for execution in 1953 and was commissioned in 1957. The dam and reservoir are located 13 km, North East of Vadakkenchery town; which lies close to National Highway 47. The dam is at latitude 100 31’ and longitude 760 32’. The dam is situated 50 km away from Palakkad and Thrissur towns. 

6 Spillway shutters are provided for the dam. The main canal starts from 0/000 km. at the dam from left side. This main canal is designed for a discharge of 4.53 m3/Sec. The canal biforcates as left bank canal system and rightbank  canal system  at chainage 0/200km.The RB canals crosses river by means of an aqueduct. Main canal sluice is located in massonary dam at an off-take level of + 64.00. From off-take to 0/200 km., the canal runs parallel to the parent river. 

The Mangalam project brought new land lands to cultivation and is supplying water for the second crop and supplementing the rainfall.Water through the dam is distributed for irrigation through the RBC and LBC canals in the ayacut areas 3440 Hectors of 6 panchayaths viz,  1) Vadakkenchery 2) Vandazhy  3) Kizhakkenchery 4) Kannambra 5) Pudukkode 6) Kavassery. The monetary benefit derived from the yield of paddy and other crops in these areas, every year, is a multy million figure.

Mangalam Dam is also used for cultivating variety of fishes under the department of fisheries. As per fisheries department revenue from sale of fishes comes to about 11 to 12 lakhs per year.