Dry Spell in Valley: Water level in Jhelum drops to 70-year low

Srinagar : The persisting dry weather across the valley has brought down the water level in Jhelum to 70 -year low in the month of September.
The valley has been witnessing dry weather for more than a month, which has complicated the problems of water scarcity and irrigation for the farmers.
While the southern parts of the valley have recorded rainfall on Friday and Saturday, central and north parts of the valley continue to reel under dry weather conditions.
As per the data shared by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, the water level at Sangam has dropped to 0.09 feet.
They said it was the lowest water level recorded in the water body in the last 70 years in the month of September.
Sangam as per the officials is the guiding factor to determine the water level in River Jhelum, which is the main waterway of Kashmir.
Official records also suggest that the water level at Ram Munshi Bagh had dropped to 2.15 feet.
At Asham, the current water level is 1.6 feet. Officials said the water level at both these points is also lowest recorded in the recent past.
Officials said the lowest water level recorded in Jhelum in the month of September so far has been 0 feet in the year 2019 and 2021.
They said the valley has not received sufficient rainfall for the last two months due to which the water body has almost dried up.
“In July, we received good rainfall and at the time a flood alert was issued. The valley has been witnessing a dry now for the last three months. Jhelum, which is the main water body, has almost dried up at many places,” officials said.
Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control Department Naresh Kumar said the valley has witnessed one of the driest September this year.
“September never used to be drier like this before. The valley has not recorded rains for a long time now, which affected Jhelum drastically,” he said.
The residents who are living along banks and in houseboats also said they have witnessed this phenomenon for the first time.
“During autumn and winter, the water level drops in Jhelum but this is probably the lowest water level we have witnessed so far. Currently, the surface of the river is visible,” said Mohammad Monis, a resident of Rajbagh.
Pertinently, the weather man has predicted hot and dry weather to continue in Jammu and Kashmir for a week ahead