Unusually low water levels recorded in Jhelum River in IIOJK, experts express concern
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), water levels in the Jhelum River have been recorded at unusually low levels, prompting experts to raise concerns over the region’s water situation and potential impact on the upcoming rice cultivation season.
According to Kashmir Media Service, water levels at the confluence point in the Kashmir Valley were measured at minus 0.86 feet on Thursday, indicating that the river is flowing below zero gauge levels.
Experts noted that such low levels in the first week of March are highly unusual, and similar conditions have rarely been observed historically. They attributed the drop to the extremely low snowfall and rainfall this winter, which has left minimal snow reserves in the mountains, directly reducing the river’s water volume.
Typically, at the end of winter and the start of spring, river levels in the Kashmir Valley rise as mountain snow melts and feeds into the rivers. However, this year, the trend has been markedly different.
Experts have warned that if there is no rainfall or snowfall in the coming weeks, the water situation in the Kashmir Valley could further deteriorate, posing a direct threat to agricultural activities, particularly rice cultivation.
