July marks the end of two of the four-month South-West Monsoon season. In these two months, the district ought to have received 111.3 mm rainfall – the average – but it had received less than that.
The readings showed that the precipitation in June was 15 mm and in July 30.5 mm as against the average 42.8 mm and 68.5 mm respectively, said Professor S.P. Ramanathan, head, Agro Climate Research Centre at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.
The less than the average and predicted rainfall for the current South-West Monsoon season – June to September – was due to the La Nina factor in which the lower sea surface temperature caused less rainfall for South India, he said.
The 45.5 mm rainfall in the two months was in eight rainy days as against an average of nine. The centre accounted a day with over 2.5 mm rain as a rainy day.
The prediction for August and September was 56 mm and 69 mm respectively and there was every chance the district could receive the predicted rainfall or much more.
Though the monsoon had been poor, the water level in the Siruvani Reservoir was at a level that was more than what it was on July 31 in 2020 and 2019. Data from the Coimbatore Corporation showed that the water level stood at 35.11 feet in the reservoir against the full reservoir level of 49.5 feet.
In 2020, the water level was at 14.33 feet and the year before 20.47 feet.
The Corporation’s water managers said the water level in the reservoir was good enough to ensure adequate supply of water to the residents of the 20-plus wards that were Siruvani-fed. But for the Corporation to continue the same level of supply till Summer 2022, the water level should increase.
The comfortable water level had also helped the Corporation to stop the diversion of Pilloor water to the Siruvani-fed wards. The civic body had stopped the diversion over a month ago, said sources.
