The storage level in the 150 major Indian reservoirs in the country continued to rise for the seventh week in a row with the storage improving in all regions, data from the Central Water Commission (CWC) showed.
According to CWC’s weekly bulletin on the live storage status of 150 reservoirs, the level improved to 69 per cent of the 178.784 billion cubic metres (BCM) capacity at 124.016 BCM. This is higher than last year’s as well as the last 10 years’ average (normal level). The storage in eight States is still below normal with the level in 39 of the key reservoirs below 50 per cent of the capacity.
Surplus rain
The storage in the reservoirs has been helped by a 5 per cent excess south-west monsoon rainfall this year. Though rainfall in June was 11 per cent lower than normal, it has gathered pace since then. In the first fortnight of August, the country received 15 per cent surplus precipitation.
Despite excess rainfall this year, data from 725 districts show that at least 30 per cent of them have received deficient precipitation.
The healthy level in key reservoirs and excess rains augur well for the current kharif season. With prediction of India receiving above-normal rainfall at least until February 2025, the rabi crop should also not face any problem. Last year, kharif and rabi crops were affected by deficient rainfall.
South the major gainer
The southern region, which accounts for five of the nine reservoirs fully filled, has been the major beneficiary of the year’s excess monsoon with the 42 reservoirs filled to 79 per of the capacity.
In Tamil Nadu, the storages are filled to 94 per cent of the capacity with two of the 7 full. The two reservoirs common to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are filled to 94 per cent of the capacity.
In Karnataka, which was badly affected due to El Nino weather last year, the dams are filled to 84 per cent of the capacity, while in Telangana the level is 54 per cent and in Kerala 63 per cent of capacity. The storage in the four reservoirs in Andhra is 24 per cent of the capacity.
The storage in the 10 reservoirs of the northern region at 51 per cent of the 19.663 BCM capacity is lower than last year and the normal storage. However, it has improved from 46 per cent last week.
The level in Punjab is 63 per cent below normal, in Rajasthan it is 20 per cent and Himachal 27 per cent lower than usual.
UP positive
The level in the 23 reservoirs in the eastern region is 53 per cent of the 20.430 BCM capacity. The storage in Bihar (-32 per cent), West Bengal (-14 per cent) and Assam (-3 per cent) is below normal.
In the 49 reservoirs of the western region, the storage is 72 per cent of the 37.130 BCM capacity. The level in Gujarat and Maharashtra is 33 per cent and 10 per cent above normal, respectively.
The storage in the central region’s 26 reservoirs is 72 per cent of the 48.227 BCM this week. The level in Uttar Pradesh has turned positive, rising to 22 per cent above normal. In Uttarakhand, it is 5 per cent below usual, while in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh it is 16 per cent and 13 per cent above normal, respectively.
With the India Meteorological Department predicting the monsoon to covers more areas across the country, the storage situation will likely improve further.