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Record Rainfall in June Boosts Chennais Reservoir Levels and Provides Drinking Water Relief
Posted on: 21/Jun/2023 11:06:17 AM
Unprecedented rainfall in June has resulted in abundant water supply to several reservoirs that provide drinking water to Chennai. On June 18 and 19, the Meenambakkam observatory recorded 16cm of rainfall, while Nungambakkam recorded 8cm. The catchment areas of the reservoirs also experienced heavy showers, with Chembarambakkam recording 11cm of rainfall, leading to increased reservoir levels.
The heavy downpour that began on Sunday night continued into Monday, setting a new record for the highest rainfall received by Chennai in the month of June. This surpassed the previous record set almost 27 years ago. As a rare occurrence for June, schools in Chennai and neighboring districts declared a holiday due to the rain.
According to S Balachandran, the Regional Meteorological Centre chief, Chennai received the third-highest rainfall in June recorded at the Nungambakkam observatory, following the years 1991 (35cm) and 1996 (19cm). Meenambakkam also experienced the second-highest rainfall after 1996 (28cm).
The Chembarambakkam reservoir received nearly 2,300 cusecs of water in the last two days, thanks to the record rain on Sunday and Monday, as well as water transferred from the Poondi reservoir. The four other reservoirs received minimal inflows. Currently, the Chembarambakkam reservoir is at 69% of its full capacity.
A senior official from Chennai Metrowater stated that the water received in these two reservoirs would be sufficient for providing drinking water for at least 15 days. The decrease in temperature would reduce water evaporation from the reservoirs and allow for more water supply to the city areas.
The current upper air circulation near the Andhra Pradesh coast is expected to bring moderate rainfall to Chennai and nearby areas in Tiruvallur district. This is anticipated to further increase the water level in the reservoirs that supply drinking water to the city.
Efforts to clear waterlogging in subways and other areas have been initiated by Chennai Corporation workers. The corporation had prepared for the monsoon by clearing silt catchpits and chutes in stormwater drains in advance, which facilitated quick water drainage across the city.
Officials also mentioned that the groundwater saturation level would be low due to the recent peak summer, allowing for easier infiltration. Temporary interventions like pumps are limited to a few areas such as Ayanavaram, Stephenson Road, and Ganeshapuram subway.
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