The storage level in India’s 155 major reservoirs dropped to 55 per cent of the capacity this week, with nearly 50 per cent of the country receiving no rainfall and over 40 per cent experiencing deficient rainfall since January 1.
The deficient rainfall is in addition to at least 60 per cent of the country receiving deficient post-monsoon rainfall between October and December 2024.
The Central Water Commission (CWC) said in its weekly status of the 155 major reservoirs that the level was 98.974 billion cubic metres (BCM) of the 180.852 BCM on Thursday. However, the storage was higher than last year. It was also higher than the last 10 years (normal) level.
43% get deficient rain
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said 49 per cent of the 718 districts in the country from where data were received received no rainfall between January 1 and February 20, while 43 per cent got deficient rainfall.
Barring the western region, the storage in the other four dropped below 60 per cent. The situation in the northern region is a bit grim, particularly Punjab and Himachal.
Data showed that the level in the 11 reservoirs of the northern region dropped to 30 per cent of the 19.826 BCM capacity at 7.999 BCM. In Punjab’s lone dam Thein the storage was 12 per cent, while in Himachal it was 24 per cent of the capacity. The situation was better in Rajasthan, whose seven reservoirs were filled to 54 per cent.
In the 25 reservoirs of the eastern region, the level in Bihar was 20 per cent of the capacity, though it was higher than last year. Overall, the dams were filled to 54 per cent or 11.230 BCM of the 20.796 BCM capacity. Important agricultural States such as West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Assam had their reservoirs filled to 50 per cent.
More drop likely
The level in the 50 reservoirs of the western region was 67 per cent of the 35.357 BCM capacity at 27.680 BCM. Goa’s lone reservoir was filled to 77 per cent, while the storage in Maharashtra and Gujarat was above 60 per cent.
In the central region’s 26 reservoirs, the storage was 57 per cent of the 48.227 BCM at 27.680 BCM. The storage fell below 50 per cent of the capacity in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, while it was 61 per cent in Madhya Pradesh and 53 per cent in Chhattisgarh.
Tamil Nadu’s 7 reservoirs boasted the best storage of 78 per cent in the country, while in Karnataka’s 16 reservoirs it was 53 per cent. In Kerala and Telangana, the level was above 50, while in Andhra it was 67 per cent. Overall, the 43 reservoirs in the southern region were filled to 53 per cent or 28.949 BCM of the 54.634 BCM capacity.
The storage will likely drop further as the country goes through above-normal temperatures and IMD forecasting rain only in the eastern region.
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