AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

RAINFALL.

It is the rainfall that still decides the agricultural prosperity of the district. On it depends the agricultural seasons and the various crops to be grown in particular season. About the rainfall in the district round about 1908 and prior to it the old Gazetteer states—" The average rainfall at Yeotmal for the 25 years ending in 1906 was 40 inches, but for the last 11 years of that period it was only 33 inches. In 1892-1893 the fall was 57 inches; and in 1899-1900, the famine year, only 17 inches. Rabi cultivation is said to have decreased partly because of the uncertainty of the rainfall in recent years. On the other hand it is said that a heavy rainfall would injure or even ruin cultivation in some parts of the District, and that some villages in Pusad taluk formerly went out of cultivation from this cause. The rainfall of the last 12 years has certainly been enough when it has come at favourable times. The 25 years' average gives 6 inches in June, 12 in July, 8 in August, 7 in September, 2 in; October and less than 1 in each of the other months " [ Central Provinces District Gazetteers, Yeotmal District, Vol A.,1908, pp. 12-13.]

The rainfall usually taken into account is that which is received in the monsoon season which starts about the beginning of June and lasts till the end of October. The intensity of the rainfall is heaviest in August. The monsoon rainfall is, however, not uniform all over the district. It varies from one taluka to another depending mainly on the natural features that cause for its availability. It increases from west to east. It is heaviest at Wani in the eastern region which gets an average of 1,125 mm. and lowest in Darwha in the western part, which gets 889 mm. of rain; while the central part of the district which comprises Yeotmal taluka gets 1,099.5 mm.

About the dependability of rainfall the District Census Handbook of Yeotmal, 1961 states—" Mean rainfall at Pusad and Yeotmal is 928.88 mm. and 1,074.93 mm., respectively. The standard deviation is 231.39 mm. and 239.52 mm., respectively. Coefficient of variability is 24 92 per cent and 22.29 per cent. Rainfall reliability is measured by the coefficient of variability. Variability is, in fact, inverse to reliability. The degree of reliability at these two stations in the district may, therefore, be said to be slightly high ".

Table No. 1 gives averages of rainfall and rainy days for 64 years from 1901 to 1964 in the district.

TABLE No. 1

AVERAGE RAINFALL IN MILLIMETRES AND AVERAGE NUMBER OF RAINY

DAYS FOR 64 YEARS FROM 1901 IN YEOTMAL. DISTRICT

1. R. D.—Average of rainy days.

2. R. F.—Average of rainfall.

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