NTR district sees alarming depletion of groundwater this year

NTR district faces groundwater depletion of over 2 meters, officials urge for consistent rainfall to recharge levels.

Despite the NTR district receiving normal amounts of rainfall since the beginning of the southwest monsoon, the groundwater level across the district has been gradually depleting by an average of 2 metres or more, according to officials.

“Normally, groundwater in the district is found, on average, at a depth of 3 to 5 metres. Now, it has gone deeper to 7 metres in the district, which is a drop of over 2 metres. It has to rain in July and August throughout for the level to come to normal,” said Groundwater Department Deputy Director B. Nagaraju.

As of May 2024, the groundwater level in around 43 out of 70 villages in the district has reached the beyond-normal threshold. However, in three villages in three mandals, Vissannapeta, Tiruvuru, and A. Konduru, the drop recorded compared to the levels in November 2023 is more than 5 metres.

As of May 2024, the groundwater level in Nunna stood at 30.96 metres, a drop of 5.57 metres from November 2023, when the level stood at 25.39 metres. At Kambhampadu in A. Konduru mandal, groundwater was available at 6.57 metres in November last year; now, it has gone deeper to 12.18 metres. At Putrela village, too, water that was available at a depth of 10.71 metres has now gone down to 17.17 metres.

The water level in 70 villages in the district has depleted by an average of 2.35 metres compared to November 2023. Tiruvuru and Gamapalagudem were declared drought mandals in November.

“This could be because of many reasons, mainly deficient rainfall in 2023, dependence on groundwater for irrigation last year and indiscriminate drawing of water by industries. Unless it rains, it is difficult for the groundwater to be recharged,” said Mr. Nagaraj, adding that the district is still better off than Anantapur or Eluru where the situation is worse.

Since the southwest monsoon arrived in the state on June 2, it has only been two weeks. Weathermen have predicted above-normal rainfall, so the administration is hoping that the next two months’ rainfall will fill all canals and tanks in the district.