Intense water deficits are forecast to persist in central India and western Karnataka through April 2018. In the near-term through January, deficits will continue to emerge across India’s northern half and may be exceptional in Haryana and Punjab; moderate deficits are forecast for Afghanistan and Pakistan. After January deficits will moderate except in central India and western Karnataka. Surpluses reaching exceptional severity are forecast through April in Bangladesh and Indian states to the east, as well as western Bhutan, Nepal, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, and Sri Lanka.
ISciences Worldwide Water Watch List November 2017
Regions forecast to have significant water deficits for the 12-month period from August 2017 through July 2018 include: Amapá, Amazonas, and Maranhão (Brazil); Madhya Pradesh and Haryana (India); Cambodia; Fujian and Inner Mongolia (China); Mongolia; Papua New Guinea; and, South Australia and Tasmania (Australia). Areas with a forecast of significant water surpluses include: Bangladesh; Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur (India), western Myanmar; the Yangtze River (China); Poland; and European Russia. This Watch List is based on ISciences Water Security Indicator Model (WSIM) issued 8 November 2017.
South Asia: Water surpluses forecast to persist in Bangladesh and Nepal
The near-term forecast through October indicates that exceptional deficits will nearly disappear in India but moderate to severe deficits will continue to emerge, covering much of the north/south extent of the country. Surpluses are forecast for Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal, and Mizoram. Deficits are forecast for southern Afghanistan, central and southern Pakistan, and eastern Bhutan. Exceptional surpluses will continue to emerge in much of Bangladesh and central Nepal. Deficits in Sri Lanka will ameliorate, leaving moderate deficits in the east. Beyond October primarily moderate deficits will continue to emerge in central India through April 2018.
South Asia: Some water surplus to persist in Bangladesh; deficits in Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand
In the June through August forecast period water conditions are largely moderate across the sub-continent. Moderate to severe water deficits may develop in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in the north of India and Tamil Nadu in the south. Surplus flows are expected in the Indus River and moderate to severe surpluses may persist over Bangladesh. Conditions moderate in the mid forecast period though surpluses may develop in Jammu & Kashmir September through February 2018 and exceptional deficits may develop in south and central Gujarat in the final forecast period extending into 2018.
South Asia: Exceptional water deficits to persist in Karnataka, Kerala
In India from November through January exceptional water deficits are forecast to persist in Karnataka and Kerala, diminish in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, and emerge in northern states and coastal Gujarat. Surpluses are forecast along the Banas River, and in Nepal, Bangladesh, and western Myanmar, and are expected to persist through April. From February through April exceptional deficits will emerge throughout Gujarat. Surpluses will persist in the Chambal River Basin and will re-emerge in the Ganges Basin.