The regulator dam was constructed between 1836 and 1838 by Sir Arthur Cotton, a British irrigation engineer who was inspired by the architectural beauty of Grand Anaicut canal built by Karikala Chola in Kallanai of Thanjavur district in the second century.

Mukkombu is about 685-meter long (2283 foot), It breaks into two channels at the Upper Anaicut to form the island of Srirangam, which is enclosed in between the delta of Thanjavur (Tanjore), the garden of Tamil Nadu.

[2] Kollidam is the southern arm of the Kavery, which branches off from the main stream about 9 miles west of Tiruchirapalli.

Across the head, where it branches from the Kaveri, stands the Upper Anicut, the dam constructed to prevent the Kollidam which runs in a lower bed than the Kaveri, from abstracting too much of the water, and so injuring the irrigation in Thoothukudi dependent on the main stream.

[3] On 22–23 August 2018, nine of the forty-five shutters had washed away due to the heavy flow of water and the weakened piers.