Deccan Chronicle       06.07.2010

Late monsoon rain sees groundwater levels soar

July 5: Recent studies conducted by the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board have revealed that the groundwater level in all 10 zones of urban Chennai during the first four months of 2010, particularly sultry April, was higher than the level in the corresponding year.

The study that assesses the average water level fluctuation in the city also indicates that the level has risen steadily since this January till April before the usual fall in dry summer.

This makes it evident that Mother Nature has by far been kind to Chennaiites, be it in reducing the soaring mercury level this summer or making up for the delayed northeast monsoon late last year.

Though the rainfall was not up to the expected level in the early days of NE monsoon in 2009, heavy downpour in the fag end, particularly late November, had kept the groundwater level encouraging.

While the average water level hovered around 2.2 metres in January in the 10 zones, the same rose above 4 metres in April.

Similarly, the low evaporation level has also cheered water managers this summer, thanks to the unseasonal rain mid-June. In June alone, Tamil Nadu got 77.9 mm of rainfall as compared to a normal of 42.1 mm.

“The thundershower development is mainly because of the sea breeze, that creates instability in the atmosphere when it comes in contact with the westerly winds,” says Dr Y.E.A. Raj, deputy director of meteorology, regional meteorological centre.