25 districts in Telangana record fall in groundwater levels
HYDERABAD: Groundwater levels in the State continue their free-fall as the average level in the State fell by 1.37 metres, between April 2018 and April 2019.
According to the April month’s report by the State’s groundwater department, the average groundwater level of the State fell from 12.77 metres below ground level (mbgl) in April 2018 to 14.14 mbgl in April this year.
Of the 33 districts in the State, 25 recorded a fall in groundwater levels between April 2018 and April 2019. The steepest fall was recorded in Sangareddy district at 6.75 m. Meanwhile, of the eight districts that did show an improvement, six of them recorded only a marginal increase of less than 1 m.
Are rainfall numbers lying?
According to meteorological definition, 16 per cent less or above normal rainfall is still considered normal. On the whole, the State received 16 per cent less than normal rainfall in the water year 2018-19 (June 2018-May 2019), which is technically normal.
But when we look at district-wise data, 18 districts, including Hyderabad, received deficient rainfall. Sangareddy, which recorded the steepest fall in groundwater levels, received the lowest rainfall at 45 per cent less than normal rainfall levels.
Of the 584 mandals in the State, 288 mandals recorded a deficient rainfall while Hyderabad received 26 per cent deficient rainfall. The report also pointed out that 19 per cent of the geographical area has deep water levels -- deeper than 20 mbgl.
