At the end of the water year on May 31, the groundwater level in Telangana rose by 3.45 metres on year-on-year basis.
The average groundwater level for the State in May was 12.35 mts below ground level (bgl) whereas it was 15.80 mts for the same month in 2016. A rise in average water levels was observed in all districts of the State. It ranged from 0.09 mts to 12.71 mts, said a report of the groundwater department on Friday.
It added that the rise in groundwater levels was mainly due to 15 per cent excess rainfall over normal. While the normal rainfall was 906 milli metres, the rainfall during the water year 2016-17 was 1,039 mm. Of the 10 erstwhile districts, four received excess rainfall and six normal. It resulted in recharge of groundwater considerably, tiding over deficit rainfall conditions in the previous two years (2014-15 and 2015-16).
The water levels rose comfortably in Siddipet, Medak, Nizamabad, Medchal and Kamareddy. However, there were also deep water levels of more than 20 mts bgl in 87 mandals last month. Water levels of 2 to 5 mts bgl prevailed in 67 mandals, maximum being in Suryapet and Hyderabad (seven each) and Khammam (six).
The report highlighted how the groundwater rose to 3.89 mts bgl in November 2016 from a low of 14.70 mts bgl in May earlier. Similarly, it was 6.47 mts bgl in November against 16.33 mts bgl in May last year in Medchal.
The groundwater level last month was minimum in Mancherial at 7.34 mts bgl and maximum in Sangareddy at 19.45 mts bgl. The maximum rise of 12.71 mts year-on-year basis in May took place at Siddipet and minimum fall of 0.09 mts at Asifabad.
The level was a marginal rise of 1.69 mts in Mahbubnagar and 1.13 mts in Hyderabad. It was only 0.75 mts in Adilabad and 0.12 mts in Bhoopalpally. The rainfall deviations in the water year was in excess of 20 per cent in Nizamabad, Hyderabad, Medak and Ranga Reddy. Normal rainfall ranging from plus 19 per cent to minus 19 per cent was in Warangal (18 per cent), Adilabad (12 per cent), Karimnagar (10 per cent), Nalgonda (10 per cent), Khammam (2 per cent) and Mahbubnagar (2 per cent).
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