Groundwater data faulty, but water table improves

From the average depth of 11.26 mts in May, the groundwater recovered to 6.82 mts by July-end

ABUNDANCE:A farmer drawing water from a brimming open well near Keslapur in Indervelli mandal of Adilabad district.- Photo: S. Harpal Singh

The current spell of rainfall is assumed to have completely recharged the groundwater across Adilabad district, but the Groundwater Department is not painting a rosy picture. It says the average depth of availability of water in the district is 6.82 meters which is based on insufficient data, if not inaccurate.

The department collects water depths from 76 locations where it had installed piezometers. Its own report nevertheless, shows that at 29 locations either no data has been recorded or they are filled with stones.

Faulty data

There are certain glaring examples of faulty data being used to calculate groundwater tables at different places in this district. The depth of groundwater at Dilawarpur and Narsapur locations, both in Dilawarpur mandal, is given as 18.55 mts and 22.28 mts respectively. This is rather unbelievable as the mandal has received almost 100 cm of rainfall against a normal of nearly 55 cm which works out to 83 per cent excess rainfall so far in this season.

The neighbouring Lokeswaram mandal too has received 67 per cent rainfall in excess during the season but the department shows water at a considerable depth at two of its piezometer locations. At Abdullapur, the depth of water availability is shown as 18.64 mts while at Lokeswaram mandal headquarters it is worse at 25.40 mts. In another instance, the department records show that no record was taken at Neredigonda mandal but the depth of water availability in this mandal is shown as 1.98 mts. Bhainsa has recorded rainfall in excess at 128 per cent so far yet, there is no record of its groundwater level situation as the department apparently does not have a piezometer installed anywhere in the mandal.

In the absence of reliable data, the brimming open wells present the true picture of the groundwater table at respective places. Women are drawing water from these sources directly in the pails instead of having to use long ropes when the water had plunged to great depths during summer.

Whatever be the effect of the incessant rainfall on the other aspects of life, it has brought cheer to the common man who has emerged from a harsh dry summer.

From the average depth of 11.26 meters in May this year, the groundwater has recovered to 6.82 mts by the end of July.