HISTORICAL PRECIPITATION AND VARIABILITY ANALYSIS IN CAUVERY RIVER BASINKUMARASWAMY, T.R. AND B.C. NAGARAJAAbstract Information about the spatial trend and variability of mean precipitation is vital for the effective management of water and agriculture. The current study analyses the precipitation data of the Cauvery basin, which plays a significant role in the agrarian economy in the riparian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The analysis determines the trends, distribution and variability in precipitation over the Cauvery basin during the last four decades 1989â2019. The impact of climate change on the trend and variability of precipitation is evident from this analysis. It is observed that the coefficient of variation shows significant fluctuations during the winter than in other seasons. Future changes in precipitation are determined by a significant decreasing trend within the winter precipitation and increasing trend within the post-monsoon. Significant levels are inferred and supported by the Mann-Kendall rank statistics and linear trend. Overall, an insignificant decrease in annual precipitation over the Cauvery basin is observed during 1989-2019. |