OTTAKKAL LOOK OUT
The first planned eco-tourism destination in India, Thenmala is located by the Kallanda River and is famous for being a favorite shooting location for Tamil and Malayalam films. The town attracts several tourists with its trekking and mountaineering spots and lush green surroundings. The Hanging Bridge is a popular attraction along with the Thenmala Dam
What you can see from the lookout tower here is the Kallada river and an aerial view of the forest around. This place is named Ottakkal and is one of the major point of Kallada Irrigation Project (KIP). From here the irrigation canal branches of KIP starts. Mainly two canal wings the right bank main canal system and left bank main canal system starts from this weir dam.
Thenmala lookout point is one of the major stopping points on the way to Thenmala dam and other attractions. The view form this site is not supposed to be like this with a a dry river course. As thenmala hydro project is an irrigation project and the season now it's rainy season, maintainance works are done now closing the water flow into the irrigation canals from the Dam reservoir. Usually you can see water gushing out through the water level regulation bridge-spillway and splashing onto the rocks in the river course.It will appear like a white stream of river flowing between the forested land. Technically these type of points in the rivers are termed as whitewater points as the river flow appears white and the current is random, mostly danger zone of rivers.
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What you can see from the lookout tower here is the Kallada river and an aerial view of the forest around. This place is named Ottakkal and is one of the major point of Kallada Irrigation Project (KIP). From here the irrigation canal branches of KIP starts. Mainly two canal wings the right bank main canal system and left bank main canal system starts from this weir dam.
Thenmala lookout point is one of the major stopping points on the way to Thenmala dam and other attractions. The view form this site is not supposed to be like this with a a dry river course. As thenmala hydro project is an irrigation project and the season now it's rainy season, maintainance works are done now closing the water flow into the irrigation canals from the Dam reservoir. Usually you can see water gushing out through the water level regulation bridge-spillway and splashing onto the rocks in the river course.It will appear like a white stream of river flowing between the forested land. Technically these type of points in the rivers are termed as whitewater points as the river flow appears white and the current is random, mostly danger zone of rivers.
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The weir dam at Ottakkal, part of Kallada Irrigation Project constructed about 5 Kilometres down the main dam[across Kallada river at Parappar, the Parappar Dam]. Weir dams are usually constructed to increase the waterlevel of the river inorder to make the river more navigable, to prevent sea water from entering the river if near to sea etc.
Here in Thenmala this weir dam maintains the waterlevel inorder to feed the two main canal branches of Kallada Irrigation Project. This place is termed as the waterpickup point of the KIP canals.Waterflow into the irrigation canals are regulated from here using water gates or shutters. The weir dam catchment is dry coz the Main Dam built upstream is closed for maintainance. You can see the right bank canal starting after the weir bridge and the left bank canal is starting on the other side from the dam's catchment area itself and advances through the forest. Its not much visible for covered by the vegetation there.
The Irrigatin potential of Kallada Irrigation Project is 61630 Hector Acre. Within this 39530ha, ie about 65% is under right Bank main canal and 22100 ha under left bank main canal.
The right bank main canal is of 68 Kms length with 4 branches and distributory system. Left bank main canal is about 56 Kms long with three branches and distributory system.
Right bank canal along with its branches irrigates areas in taluks of Kunnathur, Pathanapuram, Kozhencherry, Adoor, Mavelikkara, Karunagapally and Karthikapally. Left bank canal with the branches serves places in kottarakkara, Pathanapuram and Kollam taluks.
You can walk down to the river base and weir bridge from the lookout point. The lookout point tower is one storied with spiral staircase. You will get an aerial view of the weir bridge, river and a distant view of the western Ghat mountain ranges from here. Driving into the weir bridge may need permission of authorities. As said by a man in one of the shops by the time we arrived here there was the threat of a leapord that came out of the deep forests. He said the wild cat had already tasted some of the domestic animals and the forest guards are trying to trap it for days. Leaving the thoughts of the leapord we continued our drive towards Thenmala Parappar main dam and eco tourism point.
