Rains desert catchment

The heavy downpour in the last 24 hours may have disrupted routine life in Mumbai and Thane but the catchment areas are yet to receive sufficient rainfall.

The water levels at the dams are below the required levels needed to sustain the supply to the city through the year.

Monsoons hit the city on June 1 and the meteorologists predicted a normal monsoon for the entire season. But in reality, the monsoon was barely existent in June. After a month’s time, the monsoon gathered steam and thundered on, as the city received heavy rainfall.

The last 24 hours too, heavy rains were witness in Mumbai, Thane and its surrounding areas.

Ulhasnagar recorded the maximum rainfall of 189mm, closely followed by the satellite city 182mm and Kalyan with 175 mm.

In Shahapur, where three major dams that supply water to Thane and Mumbai recorded only 62 mm rainfall.

Thus the water stock in Bhatsa, Modaksagar and Tansa, the dams in Shahapur, could not go beyond the 50% of their total capacity. Since Ambernath received 220 mm rainfall, the water level in the basin of Barvi Dam could reach up to 56.73% of its capacity while the water level in Dhamni dam in Vikramgad could reach up to 60.25% with 200 mm rainfall.

Andhra dam in Pune district stands at 28.29 % of its capacity as the area recorded 138 mm rainfall.

The 230 mm rainfall in the area of the Kavdas dam filled the dam to the brim.

Upper Vaitarana dam, Igatpuri, that supplies water to Mumbai is still 56% empty as the area has received only 28.40 mm of rainfall.