During the June–September 2026 southwest monsoon, Tamil Nadu received its lowest Cauvery water share in 14 years. Only 44.208 tmc ft arrived against the normal 123.14 tmc ft, leaving a deficit of almost 79 tmc ft. As of October 2026, Mettur Dam held 36.639 tmc ft, of which roughly 10 tmc ft is set aside for drinking water, environmental flows and dead storage. Paddy coverage in the Cauvery delta dropped to 1.68 lakh acres by October 5, down from 2.64 lakh acres in the same period of 2025–26. Cuddalore and Tiruvarur together make up about 72% of the present delta paddy area.