Srinagar: As a prolonged dry spell and heatwave grip the Kashmir Valley, water levels in the River Jhelum and its tributaries have significantly declined, raising concerns over water availability and irrigation supplies.
Key gauging stations along the Jhelum showed a drop in water levels on Wednesday morning. At 9:00 am, the river measured just 0.96 ft at Sangam, 2.79 ft at Munshi Bagh, 2.78 ft at Asham, while the Pampore gauge recorded a negative depth of -1.16 metres. Wullar Lake stood at 1575.02 metres—well below its average of 1578.00 metres.
The tributaries feeding the river system show stress. Vishow Nallah at Khudwani registered 2.38 metres, Rambiyara Nallah at Wachi dropped to -0.35 metres, Lidder Nallah at Batkoot stood at 0.37 metres, and Sindh Nallah at Doderhama was at 1.30 metres.
However, independent weather forecaster Faizan Arif Keng said that while the situation is concerning, it is not the worst or most alarming seen in the region. “Kashmir has experienced more severe dry spells in the past,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Jal Shakti Department assured last week that water supply across the Valley remains “normal” despite rising demand and misuse.
Er Taj Mohammad Chowdhary, Chief Engineer of Jal Shakti (PHE) Kashmir said that several areas, especially in Srinagar, are receiving water via tankers. “Over a dozen tankers are operating in the city, and more can be deployed if needed. Misuse is a major concern; people are using potable water for lawns and other non-essential purposes,” he said.
Chowdhary added that all filtration plants are functioning efficiently, with priority given to essential services like hospitals. Surveillance teams have been established to monitor and curb misuse.
To address the increasing demand, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah earlier chaired a high-level review meeting in Jammu on June 19. He directed departments to ensure uninterrupted water and power supply during peak summer months, including during the Amarnath Yatra and Muharram.
The Meteorological Department (MeT) Srinagar has forecast that from June 25 to 27, the weather will be generally cloudy with intermittent spells of light to moderate rain and thunderstorms in many parts of Kashmir, with a possibility of heavy rainfall in some areas of Jammu Division—(KNO)
