HYDERABAD: The monsoon season, from June 1 to September 30, ended with six per cent above-normal rainfall this year, and this has proven beneficial for the state’s groundwater resources.
The rise in groundwater levels is largely attributed to heavy showers in September, which saw 47 per cent above-normal rainfall.
According to a report by the groundwater department for the month of September, the average groundwater level in the state rose by 4.7 m, when compared to pre-monsoon levels.
It was 14.56 metres below ground level (mbgl) in May, and 9.85 mbgl in September.
Explaining the importance of this, director of the state groundwater department Dr Pandith Madhnure told Express, “If the post-monsoon groundwater levels fall beyond the pre-monsoon levels, it indicates that the groundwater that got recharged through rain has already been completely exploited. It would also mean that people have gone deep into the static groundwater level, which is supposed to be conserved as a reserve and used only under extreme conditions.”
The rise in groundwater levels will also prove helpful for paddy farmers, as the crop is water-intensive. As per a state agriculture department report released on Saturday, paddy has been sown across 13,32,551 hectares, which is 138 per cent more than the area on which paddy is normally sown.
The highest rise in groundwater levels was recorded at Adilabad, where it went up by 10 m - from 14 mbgl to 4 mbgl. Gadwal district, meanwhile, recorded the poorest improvement - just 1.4 m. Hyderabad, which received 22 per cent above-normal rainfall, recorded a 3.5 m rise post-monsoon.
Dr Madhnure said the recharge of groundwater depends on a variety of factors apart from the amount of rainfall a region receives, like land cover, rainfall intensity and cropping patterns.
However, when compared to last year, there is not much change in the state’s groundwater levels. The average groundwater level in September 2018 was 9.77 mbgl.
Moreover, when compared to the average groundwater levels in the last 10 years, there has been a fall in 316 mandals of the state, whereas improvement has been noted in 273 mandals.
Not very different from last year’s situation
When compared to last year, there is not much change in Telangana’s groundwater levels. It was 9.77 mbgl in September, 2018, and 9.85 mbgl in September, 2019.
Compared to average groundwater levels in the last 10 years, 316 mandals saw levels drop and 273 saw them rise