Characterizing the Climate of Tarai region of Uttarakhand based on Water
Balance studies
Abstract
This research had been conducted for calculation of water balance
components by Thornthwaite Mather method and simulation model WATBAL
model had been used to calculate different water balance components like
soil moisture, actual evapotranspiration, surplus, deficit, moisture
adequacy index and soil moisture index by using average weekly
precipitation and potential evapotranspiration from 1981-2020 for
Tarai region of Uttarakhand. In this study, different
weather-based indices like, Humidity Index, Aridity Index and Moisture
Index also been calculated on the seasonal and annual basis. Based on
which climatic classification had been done for Tarai region of
Uttarakhand as well as it is of International significance as based on
this study water stress condition for the crops and advisories could be
done to the farmers for the Tarai region of the world. From, this
study it has been concluded that humid climate exists in this region.
The results also revealed that there is an increase in the water surplus
during 1981-2020 when compared with IMD data for Pantnagar during
1971-2005. Water Surplus was found to be 670.0 mm and water deficit was
found to be 440.2 mm. Total potential evapotranspiration was found to be
1339.4 mm, which was calculated by Penman Monteith’s equation during
1981-2020 and was found to be decreased when compared with the PET
calculated by IMD for the year 1971-2005 of about 1463.9 mm. When
compared with the IMD data over the periods from 1971-2005 with current
data from 1981-2020 for Pantnagar region then humidity index had been
decreased from 149.0% to 144.7% respectively. Aridity index had been
decreased from 73.0% to 50.2%, as water deficit had been decreased
from 566.7 mm to 440.2 mm. Moisture index had been increased from 76%
to 94.5% as water surplus was increased from 447.7 mm to 670.0 mm
respectively on annual basis. Keywords: WATBAL, PET, Thornthwaite
Mather, Penman Monteith, Water surplus