The clear skies over the forests of the Western Ghats cast a shadow over the water security of the State.
Celebrations of a near drought-free year may be short-lived as the spectre of drought hangs over the hydrologically crucial regions of Malnad and coastal Karnataka. North-interior and south-interior Karnataka — which cover major agricultural plains of the State — have received bounteous rainfall, ranging from 14 per cent to even 63 per cent above “normal rainfall”, says the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC).
26 per cent less
However, the mountainous Malnad region comprising Shivamogga, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu received 26 per cent less than the normal rainfall. This area, after all, sees the origins of major rivers such as the Cauvery, Tunga, Bhadra, and Kali, among others.
“Malnad receives most of its rain in June and July. However, while June was a failure for the region, July has seen a worrying 38 per cent reduction. The forecast for August continues to be poor rain in this region,” said G.S. Srinivasa Reddy, Director, KSNDMC.
A look at the water-levels of major reservoirs of the State is an indication of this. Of the 13 major reservoirs, only the ones on Krishna river — which flows for more than 400-km along the plains after its origins in Western Ghats of Maharashtra — are to the brim. Nine other reservoirs along Cauvery and Tungabhadra or their tributaries are nearly 33 per cent lower than levels from last year. Even Wayanad in Kerala has received less than normal rainfall, and this has seen reservoir levels in Kabini dip drastically.
In perspective, by this time last year, with reduced reservoir levels and north Karnataka facing a 44 per cent shortfall in rainfall, the government had declared 98 taluks as drought-hit.
“While it may not be agricultural drought this time, it may well lead to hydrological drought,” says Mr. Reddy, who has already communicated this to the Agriculture Department, while a meeting with minor irrigation is scheduled. Water management is crucial to ensure drinking water till summer, as well as enough storage in Cauvery dams to release to Tamil Nadu.
June was a failure for Malnad region, and July has seen a worrying 38 per cent reduction
G.S. Srinivasa Reddy, Director, KSNDMC
