Quantification of Hydro-meteorological balance around Port Blair, South Andaman, India, using Soil Water Balance Model

Abstract

Forest cover in the area under investigation was 79.55% in the year 1979 resulting in 69.85% of evapotranspiration and 39% of rainfall divulging itself as runoff into the adjacent sea. 37.83% of increase in human settlement and 17% increase in plantation activity had reduced the forest cover to 41.42%. This forest denudation has increased the runoff to 54% and the reduced evapotranspiration to 41.5% by the year 2013. Evapotranspiration are high during the dry spell between January to April. Also no runoff and no ground water recharge were observed during these periods of the dry spell. On the contrary evapotranspiration is at its minimum during the wet months between May to September. Heavy rainfall triggers high runoff and ground water table is replenished.