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Madikeri: Kodagu district, the origin of the Cauvery, South India's largest river, is experiencing a significant drop in its groundwater levels.
Between 2014 and 2023, data indicates a significant decrease in the static water level of both dug wells and borewells. According to information gathered by the district groundwater office, the groundwater level in borewells dropped from 13.4 meters in 2014 to 15.7 meters in 2023. With the exception of a slight improvement in 2018 (12.9 meters), the water table consistently declined. In 2022, the groundwater level measured 13.8 meters, according to a report in TOI.
The scenario remains consistent in dug wells as well. As per the data, the water level decreased from 6 meters to 6.7 meters between 2014 and 2023. It only experienced an improvement in 2021 when it reached 5.8 meters.
Sowmya KG, a senior geologist at the Kodagu district groundwater office under the Groundwater Directorate in Madikeri, emphasized the direct correlation between the hydrological cycle and rainfall. She explained that during drought conditions, heightened water withdrawal directly influences the water level.
According to the TOI report, she observed that a reduction in the number of rainy days and a shortfall in precipitation led to the depletion of the underground water table in the district.
For the past few years, Kodagu district has been grappling with water scarcity due to insufficient rainfall during the monsoon season. As summer approaches in the district, residents express concerns about the availability of drinking water.
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