The steepest fall has been observed in Nizamabad, which plunged by 5.99 metre below ground level – from 14.82 mbgl in April, 2015 to 20.81 mbgl in April 2016.

In Hyderabad the fall has been by around 1 mbgl from 10.7 to 11.69 mbgl.

None of the districts have registered a rise in groundwater levels.

The three districts with the worst groundwater levels are Medak (24.99), Nizamabad (20.81) and Ranga Reddy (18.58 mbgl). While last week’s rains are expected to have a positive impact on the groundwater levels, it is yet to be measured as the department starts taking groundwater data after the 15th of every month.

Groundwater levels vary from one area to another depending on a variety of factors. Some of the main factors include the quantity of groundwater being exploited, the type of crops being sown, geology and topography of an area, availability of surface water bodies in the region and how much rainfall an area receives.

One reason why Nizamabad has seen one of the deepest plunges in groundwater levels in April, 2016 when compared to April, 2015 is that the usage of groundwater is intensive in the district for agriculture; 95 per cent of the sown area is irrigated by groundwater in Nizamabad as per an earlier report of the Central Ground Water Board.