Kashmir faces water shortage amid heatwave as Jhelum hits decade low

Suhail Bhat

SRINAGAR, July 28: A persistent heat wave has caused the water level of the Jhelum river in the valley to drop to its lowest level in a decade, leading to severe shortage of irrigation and drinking water.
Extreme heat and severe rainfall shortages have caused water levels in the Jhelum River, the region’s main water source, to plummet to historic lows.

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At Sangam, the benchmark for measuring the river’s water level, the river has dropped to 0.66 feet. This drop has left the riverbed deserted and barren at many places, a disturbing sight for residents who depend on the Jhelum for both irrigation and drinking water.
“This is a disaster. We can only hope for rainfall, which will only provide temporary relief as the water level should be above 3 feet,” an official said.
Meteorological Department data shows a decline in rainfall, with rainfall deficits reaching 75% to 80% in July and 45% to 50% in June in most districts of Kashmir Division. This has led to a cumulative rainfall deficit of 27% for the year in Jammu and Kashmir, raising concerns about possible long-term water shortages and disruptions to agriculture.
The drop in water level has caused many irrigation pumps to stop working, severely affecting farmers who are unable to irrigate their crops. This has resulted in cracked paddy fields due to insufficient water supply. According to the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, 72 of the 394 vertical irrigation projects in the valley are no longer functional, aggravating the crisis.
Pulwama, Budgam and Kupwara districts are the worst hit, affecting their agricultural activities. “This is a recurring problem now and the government should find a permanent solution instead of blaming the weather. We have been facing the same problem for the past 10 years and if the situation continues, people will lose interest in farming,” said Arshid Ahmad, a farmer from Kakapora.
The Marwal Irrigation Scheme, which serves several areas in south and central Kashmir, is operating far below the required level, affecting 400 hectares of paddy fields. Uncontrolled sand mining near pumping stations has led to erosion of the riverbed, increasing the depth of the riverbed and causing frequent pump failures.
“The depth of the riverbed has increased, resulting in minimal discharge from the Jhelum on the other side of the pumping station. This has led to overloading and frequent malfunctioning of the pumps,” an official said.
In response, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department has implemented mitigation measures, including deploying additional pumps and building ring dikes to control the situation. “The drop in water level has affected almost 20% of irrigation capacities, while almost 75% has remained operational,” said Mifta Alam Buch, Technical Officer of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department.
Streams that normally flow abundantly at this time of year, such as Rambi Ara, Romshi, Laar and Vushow, are almost dry, which could have long-term consequences for local vegetation and agriculture. The heatwave has also caused significant crop damage, with the valley experiencing its highest maximum temperature in 40 years in July.
The drastic fall in water levels has rendered all water supply systems on the Jhelum inoperable, causing severe shortages in many areas of the valley. The worst-affected districts, from Sangam to Bandipora, are facing acute shortages of drinking water. Residents in Baramulla, including Khojbagh, Jetty, Sherwani Colony, Singabagh and Monga Colony, are particularly struggling. “We are facing huge problems with access to drinking water. It has become a daily struggle to even wash or bathe and it seems that the government is not addressing our concerns effectively,” said Asiq Ahmad, a resident of Naseerabad Sopore.