Chennai monsoon recharges ground water levels

Chennai: Dams and lakes which had dried up due to the worst ever drought last year, are now brimming, thanks to the almost surplus Northeast monsoon. The successful monsoon season has also recharged ground water levels across the state with all districts recording rise in water levels.

According to a data released by state ground and surface water resources data centre, 31 districts (except Chennai) of the state have recorded a substantial increase in ground water levels in the month of November when compared to September, which was before the onset of the monsoon. Ground water level in Chennai district is being recorded by Chennai metropolitan water supply and sewerage board and the data has not been released as yet.

When comparing with the ground water level data taken prior to the monsoon and during the monsoon, among all the districts, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur saw 40 to 50 percent rise, and northern districts like Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Vilupuram, Nagapattinam, and Cuddalore and delta districts record 10 to 20 percent rise.

Western districts like Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruppur recorded nearly 30 percent rise in ground water level. On the contrary, during the 2016 monsoon season, 23 districts recorded a huge decline in ground water levels, owing to 61 percent deficiency in seasonal rains. Ground water levels in 8 districts remained almost same before and after monsoon season of 2016.

Thiruvannamalai district recorded a rise of about 3.41mts this year November against last year. In November 2016, the district had ground water level at 6.97mts against 3.56mts this year. Namakkal and Karur recorded 2.35mts and 2.12mts rise, according to the data.

The state ground and surface water resources data centre data also elucidates that in November 2017, ground water level in the western district of Coimbatore was at 15.42mts (17.72mts in September) and Tiruppur had 11.89mts (14.29mts in September).

Water storage levels at Poondi, Cholavaram, Red Hills and Chembarambakkam lakes that provide drinking water to Chennai stood at 5,087 million cubic feet on Saturday against last year’s storage of 829 million cubic feet, according to the Chennai metro water website.