The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Regulatory authority to manage flood situation

The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Regulatory authority to manage flood situation: "

The Government has decided to constitute a regulatory authority for managing flood situation, including the implementation of relief measures, on a permanent basis, Minister for Revenue Jagadish Shettar has said.Replying to the ongoing discussion on flood situation, in which 18 members participated, in the Legislative Council on Friday, Mr. Shettar said that the Government had taken steps to shift a number of villages in the north Karnataka region that were being affected by the floods on a permanent basis.The Government had sought additional assistance from the Union Government for helping the flood-affected people. (snip)

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Rains bring enough water for 15 days

The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Rains bring enough water for 15 days

The persistent summer showers, especially on Saturday night, have not only brought respite from the summer heat but have come as godsend for a thirsty Bangalore.

According to the Meteorological Department, areas around Thippagondanahalli reservoir, situated in Magadi taluk, recorded a rainfall of 4 cm on Saturday. The rains have increased the water level at the reservoir by one foot and it now stands at about 17.5 feet, Venkataraju, Chief Engineer (Maintenance) of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, said on Sunday.

"This increase in water level will help us extend the pumping of water for additional 15 days," he added. He ruled out increasing the amount of water being pumped from the 35 million litres from the reservoir stating that the water level would have to be maintained till the end of May.

Before Saturday, the rains had only raised the water level two inches, which was just enough to serve the needs of the city for a day. These rains are an unexpected blessing to BWSSB, which is finding it difficult to provide equitable water supply. Usually, the BWSSB is dependent mainly on the rains in October and November for the reservoir to be filled up.

Mr. Venkatraju said that till the water level reached 12 feet, the BWSSB would continue to draw about 35 million litres per day. "If it goes below 12 feet, we will reduce pumping to about 25 million litres per day," he said. But the water supply in the city will not be affected. West, North and areas in the north-eastern parts of the city receive water from the reservoir.

These areas include Chandra Layout, Vijaynagar, Subramanyanagar, Srirampura, Nagappa Block, Gayathringar, Malleswaram, R.T. Nagar, Sanjay Nagar, Muthyala Nagar, D.J. Halli, and Pillana Gardens.

April 2007 - Rainfall in Bangalore

The recorded rainfall (ref:Dinakaran,Newspaper)

Apr 12 6.4 mm
Apr 13 10.5 mm
Apr 14 7.2 mm
Apr 19 6.8 mm
Apr 20 29.1 mm
Apr 21 5.8 mm
Apr 22 75.1 mm

Total 140.9 mm

City running out of ground water - Deccan Herald - Internet Edition

City running out of ground water - Deccan Herald - Internet Edition: "

The groundwater situation is in a critical condition in Devanahalli, Doddaballapur, Nelamangala, Bangalore East (Whitefield and adjoining areas) and Hoskote, according to officials from Department of Mines and Geology. Planning to invest in property in Bangalore? Make sure that there is adequate surface water supply and a provision for rain water harvesting because groundwater resources in both the Bangalore Urban and Rural districts are already in the red.In several residential areas, especially in Bangalore North and East, borewells are dry or on the verge of drying. Ironically, these areas, recording meteoric rise in land prices, are among the 'most critical' areas as far as groundwater is concerned.
(snip)

“The situation has worsened in the last three years. The average annual rainfall in the district is only 600 mm to 700 mm per year. Because of the drought in 2001, 2002 and 2003, groundwater recharge has been very low. Bangalore is entirely dependent on rainfall because it is built on a plateau, on different hydrological basins of South Pinakini and Cauvery rivers,” another officer from the Department of Mines and Geology said. “It’s time the government declared a five-year holiday to exploitation of groundwater.”

(snip)

According to the report on groundwater resources of Karnataka in March 2004 (the last five-yearly report on groundwater resources) by the Department of Mines and Geology, though the total annual groundwater recharge in Devanahalli was 6,496.65 hectares per metre (HAM), the gross groundwater draft for all uses was 14,294.31 HAM. In Bangalore North, the total annual groundwater recharge was 6,943 HAM and the overdraft was 13,132.21 HAM. In Bangalore South, the groundwater recharge was 6543.16 HAM and the overdraft was 11,856.63 HAM.

“The figures show that people have not only over-exploited groundwater, but have also drilled into the static water reserve, which should be used only in emergency situations,” said a department official.

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All hopes rest on April showers:The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News

The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : All hopes rest on April showers: "

As temperatures in Bangalore unrelentingly hover around 36 degrees Celsius in April, all hopes rest on the summer showers. Horticulturalists and florists long to see their wilting crops revive, and long-time residents of Bangalore want their 'air-conditioned city' back.The April rains or 'mango showers' as they are called are a result of thunderstorms over the Bay of Bengal and normally come in the second half of the month. They have a cooling effect on the city.However, these summer rains are most difficult to predict, according to the Meteorological Centre Director, G.S. Vijayaraghavan.Mr. Vijayaraghavan, pointing to the rainfall figures for the past five years, said rainfall in April was as high as 324 mm in 2001, and as low as 9 mm in 2002. The 'average' rainfall for April was approximately 46 mm, with just three rainy days.

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see the figure below for Variation in April over the years

Bangalore 100 years rainfall data Visualization