Groundwater dips ahead of summer

Warangal: With the signs of winter absent even as December rolls along after the indifferent monsoon season, the people of Warangal, especially those living in the limits of Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC), are certain to embrace a seemingly difficult water crisis in the next summer.

The data given by the agriculture department says that season’s actual rainfall that the district had received was a bit more than that of its normal rainfall. Till Thursday in this season, the district received 919.7 mm of rainfall against normal 912.6 mm.

At the end of November, the average groundwater level in the district was at 9.09 Meters Below Ground Level (MBGL) while it was at 8.90 MGBL during the same period last year. Normally, the groundwater levels witness a dip during the March and April months.

It’s observed that the district has been witnessing gradual fall in groundwater level for the last couple of years.

According to the data of the groundwater department, the depth to groundwater levels in the district during the December 2013 was 5.66 metres. Currently, the depth has fallen to 9.09 MBGL making it minus 3.33 meters compared to 2013.

Groundwater Department Deputy Director V Anand Kumar said that barring Mahabubabad and Narsampet divisions, which have witnessed an increase in groundwater level by 2.13 MGBL and 0.94 MGBL respectively, the other divisions – Warangal, Janagaon and Mulugu are on the downward trend with -0.91 MGBL, 1.88 MGBL and -41 MGBL respectively compared to last year.

Warangal Agriculture Officer V Bhaskar said: “Despite the fact that district had received more than the annual average rainfall, the groundwater levels appears to have a taken a dent due to abnormal distribution of rainfall pattern like prolonged dry spells and less number of rainy days with downpours.” Though quite a few tanks were filled with the water drawn through the Devadula Lift scheme in Warangal and Janagaon divisions in the recent past, the situation needs to be closely monitored. It depends upon the water level in Godavari, the source of Devadula Lift scheme.

Though the GWMC region needs around 135 million liters a day to cater to the water needs of the people, only 113 million liters a day are being supplied that too alternate day.

As of now, together Dharmasagar, Bhadrakali and Waddepalli tanks have 1,124 million cubic feet (MCFT) of water reserves. Of which, it’s estimated that 943 MCFT can be utilised deducting seepage and evaporation losses.

Water reserves:

Dharmasagar tank: 798 MCFT (full tank level 839 MCFT); Bhadrakali tank: 116 MCFT (full tank level 150 MCFT); Waddepalli tank: 129 MCFT (full tank level 135 MCFT).

If supplied 4 MCFT alternate days, the existing water reserves will cater to the needs of people till May 2016, according to a senior official in the Corporation.

By:Adepu Mahender