Distribution of Rain Recording Stations in Bihar

Abstract

THERE are at present 289 rain record- ing stations in Bihar including 20 observatories " and 31 hydrological stations. The State Government, however, is directly responsible for the maintenance of only 238 of these rain-gauge stations. The " observatories 12 in number for the whole State ( usually one in each district headquarter, with an additional one at places of special interest such as Dehri, Sabour, Dhanbad and Jamshedpur), are directly under the Meteorological Department of the Govern- ment of India and record, besides rainfall, certain other natural phenomena such as temperature, humidity, wind velocity, etc.; while the hydrological stations set up largely in the Hazaribagh, Manbhum and Ranchi districts, at the instance of the Damodar Valley Corporation, are mainly interested in rainfall data as determining the flow of water in rivers which are to be dammed or other- wise controlled. Thus taking Bihar as a whole, there is, on an average, one rain racording station, inclusive of observatories and hydro- logical stations, for every 243 sq. miles of area and one for every 296 sq. miles of area, if observatories and hydrological stations are excluded.