Veeranam Lake was built in the 10th century during the time of Greater Cholas (907–955 CE)[3] and is a 16-kilometre (9.9 mi) long dam in northern Tamil Nadu.

Water released from the Mettur dam through Kollidam and Lower Anicut would also bring in sufficient inflow into the Veeranam Lake.

With heavy rain in Western Ghats, the lake almost got its storage capacity as it received inflow from the Cauvery tributaries of Bhavani and Amaravathi.

[5] The Veeranam project,[6] to supply water to Chennai, was conceived in 1967 by the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C. N. Annadurai, and executed under his successor, M. Karunanidhi.

[citation needed] The opening chapter of the book Ponniyin Selvan is set on the banks of the Veera Narayana Lake.