The number of Indian reservoirs with storage less than 50 per cent dropped to single digit this week. This was in view of the level in the 155 major dams remaining unchanged at 87 per cent of the capacity, data from the Central Water Commission (CWC) showed.
According to CWC’s weekly bulletin on live storage status of the major reservoirs, the storage was 157.671 billion cubic metres (BCM) of the 180.852 BCM capacity. This is higher than the level witnessed a year ago as well as the past decade (normal level).
The level in 108 of the reservoirs was above 80 per cent of the capacity, while the number of storages where it was below 50 per cent was 9. Five States continue to have below normal storage.
Favouring rabi
The higher storage level and current spell of rainfall are expected to help rabi sowing due to better soil moisture. According to the India Meteorological Department, 62 per cent of the 723 districts from where data had been received is rain deficient between October 1 and 16. However, the country witnessed 8 per cent surplus precipitation during the South-West monsoon.
Himachal Pradesh (-25 per cent), Punjab (-63 per cent), Bihar (-1 per cent), Nagaland (-3 per cent) and Kerala (-4 per cent) are the States with lower than normal storage.
In the 11 reservoirs of the northern region, the level was 65 per cent of the 19.836 BCM capacity at 12.986 BCM. This is lower than the 81.2 per cent storage last year and normal 80.9 per cent.
In the eastern region’s 25 reservoirs, the storage was 16.939 or 81 per cent of the 20.798 BCM capacity — higher than normal and last year. Barring Bihar, the level in the rest of the States is above 70 per cent of the capacity.
Goa brims
In the 50 reservoirs of the western region, the storage was 97 per cent of the 37.357 BCM capacity at 36.263 BCM. Goa’s sole reservoir was full.
In the 26 reservoirs of the Central region, the level was 43.485 BCM or 90 per cent of 48.227 BCM capacity. The storage in all the States in the region was above 70 per cent.
In the southern region, the level in the 43 reservoirs was 88 per cent of the 54.634 BCM capacity at 47.998 BCM. The storage in Telangana and Karnataka was over 90 per cent but in the rest, it was below 70 per cent.
With the IMD predicting above-normal rainfall in October, the storage will likely remain higher than last year.