Rain harvesting brings parched tanks back to life in Annamayya district

Since mid-May this year, farmers in Annamayya district, one of the dry zones of Rayalaseema, have been looking up at the sky with little hope. The southwest monsoon, which officially ends on September 30, has largely failed the district. Yet, three days of rain, though not heavy, have brought an unexpected sight: water flowing into tanks that were bone-dry as recently as September 20.

The district should have received 353 mm of rainfall by mid-September. It has received only 149 mm, a deficit of 57.7%. Groundwater levels have fallen, borewells have gone dry, and most tanks and check-dams had presented a deserted look.

The explanation for the sudden inflows lies in work carried out over the past few months, beginning in March, to clear feeder channels, desilt supply canals and revive old stream linkages under the Jaladhara water conservation programme.