Live storage available in 123 reservoirs monitored by the Central Water Commission (CWC) was 86 per cent of their total live storage capacity as on Thursday. This is 99 per cent of the level during corresponding period last year and 115 per cent of the 10-year average.
The overall storage position is less than the corresponding period of last year (another bumper monsoon year) but is better than the 10-year average, the CWC said. This is even as the South-West monsoon has another five days to go and a rain-driving low-pressure area is active over the eastern parts of the country.
Storage levels poorer in North
Region-wise, the storage levels returned figures reflective of the monsoon performance locally with the North (Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan) reporting 76 per cent of the total live storage capacity (against 90 per cent last year and a 10-year average of 85 per cent). The monsoon has been deficient in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh.
In the East (Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Tripura and Nagaland), total live storage is 77.2 per cent of capacity (against 83 per cent last year a 10-year average of 76.8 per cent). Recorded rainfall was lower by -29 per cent in Nagaland; -12 per cent in Tripura; and -13 per cent tin Jharkhand, though Odisha (0 per cent) and West Bengal (+5 per cent) fared better.
Rains boost storage in West
In contrast, in the West (Gujarat and Maharashtra), total live storage available is 93 per cent of capacity (against 91 per cent last year and a 10-year average of 73 per cent) thanks to the regionally excellent monsoon. Gujarat has recorded large excess rainfall of 60 per cent while Maharashtra received above normal rainfall of a comparably lower 18 per cent.
Over Central India (Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh), total live storage is 89 per cent of capacity (85 per cent last year and 10-year average of 79 per cent). The monsoon has been normal in Uttar Pradesh (-18 per cent); Uttarakhand (-19 per cent); Madhya Pradesh (+7 per cent) and Chhattisgarh (+9 per cent) as on Thursday.
In the South (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu), the total live storage is 85.5 per cent of capacity (85.3 per cent last year and 10-year average of 69 per cent). All these States have witnessed good monsoon so far this year with rainfall being +42 per cent above normal in Telangana; +40 per cent in Andhra Pradesh; +28 per cent in Tamil Nadu; +27 per cent in Karnataka; and +11 per cent in Kerala.