VIJAYAWADA: The Godavari river at Polavaram has undergone a visible change in colour, from a copper hue during the monsoon to blue in recent days, following a decline in flood intensity. The change, observed between early and mid-October, coincides with a reduction in the sediment carried by the river.
During the monsoon, heavy rainfall in the upstream catchment areas brought large volumes of floodwater into the Godavari. The water carried red soil, silt and sand from the surrounding hills and streams, giving the river a reddish-brown or copper appearance near Polavaram. This colour was particularly noticeable from July to the first week of October.
With rainfall easing and flood flows receding, the quantity of soil and other suspended particles entering the river has declined. As the sediment settles, the water has become clearer, with a blue hue now visible along stretches near the Polavaram spillway.
The inflow from the Sileru river, whose waters also appear blue, is another feature of the changing river scene. It reflects seasonal changes in the river’s flow.