As of 8 a.m. on August 2, water level in the Siruvani Reservoir stood at 15.22 feet, lower than the halfway mark of 24.75 feet. The full reservoir level is 49.50 feet.
The water level has worried the city’s water managers at the Coimbatore Corporation, who have renewed their hope on the South-West Monsoon rain in August and September.
In a normal South-West Monsoon season, which extends from June to September, the water level touches and sometimes cross the full reservoir level.
But since 2019 there has been a reduction in water storage level in Siruvani Reservoir to 44.50 feet as the Kerala Government had reduced the level citing dam safety.
Last year, the water level had touched the permitted level of 44.50 feet and with that the Coimbatore Corporation had managed to meet the city’s needs in Summer 2020.
But this year, the water position, right from the start of the monsoon season, had put the Corporation on tenterhook as the water level had almost touched the dead storage level in May-June this year.
If the city were to have a water scarcity-free Summer 2021 the remaining monsoon season would be crucial, the water managers said and added that they hoped that the Monsoon would not be disappointing this time.
And, there seems to be good news for the city’s water managers as the Agro Climate Research Centre at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University had predicted good rain in August and in the first fortnight of September.
The Centre’s head Prof. S.P. Ramanathan said in August 2019, the city had received 221.3mm as against the long-term (50 years’) average of 40.9mm for the month.
And, in September that year the city had received 57.3mm as against the average of 70.7mm.
This year, the prediction for August was that there would be good rain.
In the two months of the monsoon season that ended July 31, the city had received 22.5mm in June and 83.5mm in July.
The average for the two months were 38mm and 37.8mm respectively.
The South-West Monsoon average was 187.4 mm and, thus far, the city had received 106 mm, he said and added that the chance that the city would have surplus rainfall in August was high.
The city’s water managers said if the city were to get good rainfall it would naturally translate into increase in water level in Siruvani as the monsoon usually gave more rain in Siruvani catchment than in Coimbatore, a rain shadow region.