Down To Earth's video: Water levels in dams on Himachal rivers decline to half of their capacity

The people of Himachal Pradesh are experiencing a 3 month long dry spell. The state ravaged by floods in 2023 is ironically struggling with the water levels in dams. With summer right around the corner, experts have warned that the situation will probably get even worse! So, why is Himachal buckling up for a thirsty summer? The long dry spell in Himachal can be majorly attributed to the lack of rain and snow in the last three months. Experts reason this out to 3 major factors: the absence of strong western disturbances, a gradual increase in temperatures in the region attributed to climate change, and the ongoing El Niño event in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The dry spell has caused a severe reduction in the water levels of rivers that either originate in or flow through Himachal to the plains below (TOS: Central Water Commission (CWC)). These rivers include the Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Satluj and Yamuna. The amount of water in the reservoirs of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan had reached half of their capacity as of January 18, 2024 (TOS: CWC data). The Shimla Meteorological Centre said that this January (till 18th) had broken the previous record of the driest month since 1901. The total cumulative precipitation received in the state in the month of January 2024 (up till 18th) was 0.1mm against normal precipitation of 43.1mm, marking it the lowest precipitation witnessed in more than a century. When the snow and ice defrost, rivers and streams get water. “The effect of prolonged drought can create water shortages during the summer,” said SS Randhawa, environment and glacier expert and principal scientist at the Himachal Pradesh Council of Science, Technology and Environment. The impacts of this will be most pronounced in urban areas and high-altitude tribal areas like Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti. Sujata Negi (block technical manager in the state agriculture department in the cold desert Spiti Valley) said farming is done only in one season in the Spiti Valley and people are completely dependent on glaciers and snowfall for farming. Due to the lack of snowfall this time, people may have to face a shortage of water for farming as well as drinking water during summer. Water expert Pratik Kumar said that the government and people in rural areas should be ready given the future challenges related to water due to the prolonged drought. The barren and snowless peaks have also cast a shadow on tourism in Himachal Pradesh. Down to Earth is Science and Environment fortnightly published by the Society for Environmental Communication, New Delhi. We publish news and analysis on issues that deal with sustainable development, which we scan through the eyes of science and environment.