Fri Nov 08 00:03:36 UTC 2024: ## Yamuna River Misses Annual Flood Cycle, Raising Concerns About River Health
**New Delhi:** The Yamuna River in Delhi experienced an unprecedented event this year, failing to reach the warning level of 204.5 meters at the Old Railway Bridge for the first time since 2014. This marks only the sixth time in the past 62 years that the river has not gone through a single flooding cycle, which experts say is crucial for the river’s health and ecosystem.
The annual monsoon flooding, which usually occurs for four months, acts as a natural flushing mechanism, cleaning the heavily polluted stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla. It also helps maintain a continuous flow, improves aquatic life, and recharges underground aquifers along the floodplains.
While this year saw 63% more rainfall than usual in Delhi, the Yamuna level remained below the danger mark. Experts attribute this to several factors, including lower rainfall in the upper catchment areas of the river and its tributaries, controlled discharge from the Hathnikund barrage, and precautionary measures taken to prevent flooding.
The lack of flooding has led to a significant increase in pollution levels. Faecal coliform levels, an indicator of sewage entering the river, reached a record high of 4,900,000 MPN/100 ml in September, 1,959 times higher than the standard.
Activists and experts, including Bhim Singh Rawat and Diwan Singh, warn that the absence of flooding highlights the critical issue of ecological flow. They argue that the river is “dead” due to low water levels and high pollution, emphasizing the need for a higher release of water from the Hathnikund barrage to improve the river’s health.
This event underscores the urgent need to address the multifaceted challenges faced by the Yamuna River, including pollution control, water management, and maintaining a healthy ecological flow.
First Piper 