Officials celebrate as critical water supply rebounds: 'The water level could reach its full capacity'
The Times of India reported that heavy rains have caused the tide to turn in a local waterway. The Stanley reservoir in Mettur "rose 1 foot in one day," a senior water resources department official told the publication.
The reservoir, which also gets water from the Cauvery River, is behind the Mettur Dam and is one of the largest fishing reservoirs in the southern part of the country. Licensed fishermen can catch species like Indian major carp and Wallago attu catfish in these waters.
The dam, considered an engineering feat, dates back to the 19th century and is a vital water source in the Tamil Nadu area, according to One India. Over 2.4 million acres of land receive water from it, enabling sugar, rice, cotton, and other food production. Locals will receive 1,000 cubic feet per second of diverted excess water for drinking.
Proper water levels also secure the dam's other purpose — hydroelectric power.
Sadly, an increasingly heating planet has created longer and more severe droughts that have caused water levels to fall drastically or even dry up. However, other unstable waterways have also shown improvement through better weather conditions and conservation. Melting snowpacks and more precipitation have enabled the Great Salt Lake in Utah to rise 1.2 feet last year. Lake Ahquabi in Iowa began to refill with rain after a severe drought caused it to temporarily close for renovations for two years.
"If the rain continues in the catchment areas, the water level could reach its full capacity of 120 feet within a couple of weeks," a senior water resources department official told The Times of India. The reservoir's resurgence provides much-needed optimism but shows how consistent water conservation and storage matter.
Regardless of where you live, anyone can take local action to help protect water sources and secure regular access. One viable solution is to capture rainwater from your roof to reduce consumption or even create a rain garden. Planting native ground covers also prevents polluting runoff that can seep into local waterways.
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6 days ago
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Officials celebrate as critical water supply rebounds: 'The water level could reach its full capacity'
The Times of India reported that heavy rains have caused the tide to turn in a local waterway. The Stanley reservoir in Mettur "rose 1 foot in one day," a senior water resources department official told the publication. The reservoir, which also gets water from the Cauvery River, is behind the Mettur Dam and is one of the largest fishing reservoirs in the southern part of the country. Licensed fishermen can catch species like Indian major carp and Wallago attu catfish in these waters. The dam, considered an engineering feat, dates back to the 19th century and is a vital water source in the Tamil Nadu area, according to One India. Over 2.4 million acres of land receive water from it, enabling sugar, rice, cotton, and other food production. Locals will receive 1,000 cubic feet per second of diverted excess water for drinking. Proper water levels also secure the dam's other purpose — hydroelectric power. Sadly, an increasingly heating planet has created longer and more severe droughts that have caused water levels to fall drastically or even dry up. However, other unstable waterways have also shown improvement through better weather conditions and conservation. Melting snowpacks and more precipitation have enabled the Great Salt Lake in Utah to rise 1.2 feet last year. Lake Ahquabi in Iowa began to refill with rain after a severe drought caused it to temporarily close for renovations for two years. "If the rain continues in the catchment areas, the water level could reach its full capacity of 120 feet within a couple of weeks," a senior water resources department official told The Times of India. The reservoir's resurgence provides much-needed optimism but shows how consistent water conservation and storage matter. Regardless of where you live, anyone can take local action to help protect water sources and secure regular access. One viable solution is to capture rainwater from your roof to reduce consumption or even create a rain garden. Planting native ground covers also prevents polluting runoff that can seep into local waterways. Should the government be allowed to restrict how much water we use? Definitely Only during major droughts No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
10-06-2025
India on the boil with heat waves disrupting normal lives and raising health concerns
NEW DELHI -- A blistering heat wave is sweeping across northern India with temperatures soaring above the normal, disrupting daily life and raising health concerns. The mercury shot up to 47.3 C (117 F) in Sri Ganganagar, a desert city in the northwestern state of Rajasthan on Monday , according to the Indian Meteorological Department. The record for the country is 51 C (124 F), set in May 2016 in Rajasthan's city of Phalodi. The searing heat is not just a seasonal discomfort but underscores a growing challenge for the country's overwhelmed health infrastructure. A prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures often causes heat strokes, mainly impacting the poor, outdoor workers, children, and the elderly. Last year, a monthslong heatwave across swathes of India killed more than 100 people and led to over 40,000 suspected cases of heat stroke, according to data from the health ministry. The Indian capital, New Delhi, saw its first heatwave of the season with temperatures soaring past 45 C (113 F) in one of its neighborhoods on Monday. The swelter wasn't just numerical as the real-feel temperature, the heat index factoring in relative humidity, was a couple of notches higher. Ryan Rodriguez, a 22-year-old tourist from the U.S. was seen sipping a lemonade to keep himself cool in Delhi. 'It's pretty hot here. I just came from a trip of the Middle East, so I am sort of adjusting to it. But (this is) much hotter than Virginia. I haven't seen any worse heat than this in India so far,' said Rodriguez. For autorickshaw driver Pradeep Kumar, the scorching heat was taking a toll on his health and impacting household income as people avoided daytime commuting. 'This heat makes us very tired. We drink water to keep up. But many times our health gets affected,' Kumar said. 'I feel troubled.' The weather department has issued heatwave warnings for the next couple of days in northern India that include the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and the New Delhi national capital region. Some parts of those ares may witness light showers from Thursday, bringing relief. India declares a heat wave whenever temperatures are above 40 C (104 F) in the plains and 30 C (86 F) or more in its hilly regions. Heatwaves are usually reported from March to June and in some cases in July. The peak month is May, but it was relatively cooler this season due to weather aberrations amid multiple westerly disturbances, said G.P. Sharma, president at private weather forecaster Skymet. In Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous state, a punishing heatwave made people's lives difficult as power grids struggled to keep pace with the soaring electricity demand. 'There is no light for hours in the afternoon, just when the heat is unbearable,' said Shabnam Khan, a homemaker in Lucknow, the state's capital city. 'The fan stops, the cooler doesn't work, and we are left sitting on the floor, drenched in sweat.' The state recorded its highest-ever electricity demand of 30,161 megawatts late Sunday as millions of homes and businesses ran cooling systems to beat the heat. Officials expect demand to surpass 32,000 megawatts in the coming weeks. Atul Kumar Singh, a senior scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Lucknow, said the battle against this brutal summer heat was far from over as seasonal monsoon rains were still weeks away. 'We are seeing the worst of both heat and humidity. This is no longer just a matter of discomfort. It is becoming a public health emergency,' said Singh.
Hamilton Spectator
10-06-2025
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Northern India on the boil with heat waves disrupting normal lives and raising health concerns
NEW DELHI (AP) — A blistering heat wave is sweeping across northern India with temperatures soaring above the normal, disrupting daily life and raising health concerns. The mercury shot up to 47.3 C (117 F) in Sri Ganganagar, a desert city in the northwestern state of Rajasthan on Monday , according to the Indian Meteorological Department. The record for the country is 51 C (124 F), set in May 2016 in Rajasthan's city of Phalodi. The searing heat is not just a seasonal discomfort but underscores a growing challenge for the country's overwhelmed health infrastructure. A prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures often causes heat strokes, mainly impacting the poor, outdoor workers, children, and the elderly. Last year, a monthslong heatwave across swathes of India killed more than 100 people and led to over 40,000 suspected cases of heat stroke, according to data from the health ministry. The Indian capital, New Delhi, saw its first heatwave of the season with temperatures soaring past 45 C (113 F) in one of its neighborhoods on Monday. The swelter wasn't just numerical as the real-feel temperature, the heat index factoring in relative humidity, was a couple of notches higher. Ryan Rodriguez, a 22-year-old tourist from the U.S. was seen sipping a lemonade to keep himself cool in Delhi. 'It's pretty hot here. I just came from a trip of the Middle East, so I am sort of adjusting to it. But (this is) much hotter than Virginia. I haven't seen any worse heat than this in India so far,' said Rodriguez. For autorickshaw driver Pradeep Kumar, the scorching heat was taking a toll on his health and impacting household income as people avoided daytime commuting. 'This heat makes us very tired. We drink water to keep up. But many times our health gets affected,' Kumar said. 'I feel troubled.' The weather department has issued heatwave warnings for the next couple of days in northern India that include the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and the New Delhi national capital region. Some parts of those ares may witness light showers from Thursday, bringing relief. India declares a heat wave whenever temperatures are above 40 C (104 F) in the plains and 30 C (86 F) or more in its hilly regions. Heatwaves are usually reported from March to June and in some cases in July. The peak month is May, but it was relatively cooler this season due to weather aberrations amid multiple westerly disturbances, said G.P. Sharma, president at private weather forecaster Skymet. In Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous state, a punishing heatwave made people's lives difficult as power grids struggled to keep pace with the soaring electricity demand. 'There is no light for hours in the afternoon, just when the heat is unbearable,' said Shabnam Khan, a homemaker in Lucknow, the state's capital city. 'The fan stops, the cooler doesn't work, and we are left sitting on the floor, drenched in sweat.' The state recorded its highest-ever electricity demand of 30,161 megawatts late Sunday as millions of homes and businesses ran cooling systems to beat the heat. Officials expect demand to surpass 32,000 megawatts in the coming weeks. Atul Kumar Singh, a senior scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Lucknow, said the battle against this brutal summer heat was far from over as seasonal monsoon rains were still weeks away. 'We are seeing the worst of both heat and humidity. This is no longer just a matter of discomfort. It is becoming a public health emergency,' said Singh. ___ Banerjee reported from Lucknow, India. Associated Press video journalist Piyush Nagpal in New Delhi contributed to the report.
