Anantapur / Sri Sathya Sai district: The severe drought conditions in the united Anantapur district during the current year have depleted groundwater level on an average by 3.89 metres in one year compared to September 2022 figures.
Agriculture scientists and experts warned farmers in arid Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai districts to be cautious while sowing crops during Rabi season, which is about to begin. Farmers need to watch how much the north east monsoon brings rain to this region.
Gorantla mandal in Sri Sathya Sai district recorded the steepest 16.91 metres of fall in groundwater levels by September 2023 compared to the same time in September 2022. Water was available at 3.46 metres below ground in September 2022, in May 2023 it was available at 8.3 metres, but now it is available only at 20.37 metres.
In Anantapur district, Rayadurg mandal recorded a depletion of 9.41 metres. In September 2022 water was 4.52 metres below ground, 5.30 metres. in May 2023 and at 13.93 metres in September 2023. The only mandals in Anantapur district that saw a positive rise in groundwater levels were Settur 0.29 mts and Belguppa 1.56 metres compared to last year’s figures in September, but from May this year, there is a fall of 2.2 metres and 1.09 metres respectively.
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In Sri Sathya Sai district, not a single mandal saw a rise in levels compared to last year, but South West Monsoon this year helped levels rise from May 2023 in Agali (1.35 mts.), Amadagur (0.61), Kadiri (1.23 mts), Puttaparthi (1.58 mts.)
The divided Anantapur district saw a depletion of 2.76 metres compared to September 2022, and 2.125 metres compared to May 2023. Sri Sathya Sai District saw a depletion of 5.019 metres from September 2022 to September 2023, and from May 2023 to September 2023 it was 2.570 metres.
In Dharmavaram, water is available at 6.72 metres below ground, which is at -3.92 metres compared to September last year and -1.86 metres compared to May 2023.
In Settur water is available at 18.45 metres meters, which is +0.29 metres above September 2022 level, -2.22 metres below May 2023 levels.
In Rapthadu water is available at 4.60 metres at -2.70 metres, lower level compared to September 2022 and -0.58 metres compared to May 2023.
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In Kundurpi water is available at 7.62 metres, at -1.84 metres lower compared to last September -2.12 metres compared to May 2023.
In Kuderu water is available at 8.49 metres at -1.83 metres lower compared to September 2022; -1.37 metres compared to May 2023.
In Kalyandurg there is a drastic fall in groundwater level with water available at 11.92 metres down by -3.53 metres compared to September 2022 and down by -3.93 metres compared to May 2023.
Last year the groundwater levels rose by 7.12 metres. The total water stored in the district was 67 tmc ft while reservoirs and tanks stored water to the tune of 28 tmc ft. In all out of 1,470 village tanks, as many as 1,300 tanks stored water to the quantum of 11 tmc ft which can irrigate about 3 lakh acres of crop lands.
Out of 2.45 lakh agriculture bores operating in the district, ground water levels in 2 lakh bores had substantially increased in 2022, while this year due to erratic monsoon, water levels registered a drastic fall.
