The irrigation project's water resources are feeling the effects of the current intense heat. According to a report by the government's water resources department, the amount of water lost to evaporation could supply drinking water to Pune for nine years and to Mumbai for three years. In terms of agriculture, this lost water could have irrigated 825,000 hectares.
The State’s total water storage capacity is about 1,496 TMC, with approximately 11 per cent of this water evaporating annually. It is a misconception that evaporation rates increase solely due to rising temperatures; other factors also play a role. These include the area of the water body, atmospheric vapor content, wind speed, and water depth.
As the population grows, water scarcity will become increasingly problematic, potentially leading to significant drinking water shortages. Researchers must urgently address this issue as temperatures and evaporation rates rise, with indications that the situation will worsen in the near future.
