Nearly 86% of the State’s geographical area has groundwater at the depth of up to 10 metres below ground level in January, thanks to copious rainfall recorded across Telangana during the south-west monsoon period of the current water year.
It’s the best groundwater position in the month of January since formation of Telangana and also for the last 10 years. The improvement in the groundwater table is attributable mainly to the surplus rainfall recorded during the monsoon period as also to the completion of a few irrigation projects, due to which water availability in tanks and reservoirs has increased, officials of the Groundwater Department said.
According to the groundwater scenario report prepared by the department for January 2021, although the average groundwater availability in the State was 6.56 metres the water table was as high as 2.69 metres below ground level in Wanaparthy district to as deep as 11.48 metres in Medak district.
Officials attributed the improved groundwater scenario to excess rainfall ranging from 21% to 133% in 27 districts during June 2020 to January 2021 period. The remaining six districts had normal rainfall — ranging from 7% above normal rain to 16% below normal. Technically, rainfall in the range of 19% above normal to 19% below normal is considered normal itself.
A net rise (average) of 2.32 metres in groundwater position was observed in January this year, compared to January last year. District-wise, increase in the groundwater level was observed in 26 districts, fall in six districts and no change in one district this January compared to the same month last year. The officials explained that a minimum rise of 0.1 metre was observed in Mulugu district, while it was maximum of 8.16 metres in Rangareddy district.
Similarly, minor fall in groundwater table was observed in Bhupalapally and Karimnagar districts and maximum fall of 0.51 metres was noticed in Nizamabad district.
