The water level in India’s 155 major reservoirs dropped to 82 per cent of the capacity with the level in 18 declining to below 50 per cent, data from the Central Water Commission (CWC) showed.

The level is down mainly in view of post-monsoon rainfall from October 1 to November 28 being 14 per cent deficient. Data received by India Meteorological Department (IMD) showed that 66 per cent of the 720 districts in the country received either deficient or no rainfall during the period.

While the level in the northern region is lower than last year and the average (last 10 years’ storage), it is higher in the other four regions of the country. In Punjab, the storage in the lone Thein reservoir dropped to 30 per cent of the capacity.

Rabi outlook positive

Despite the dropping storage, the outlook for the rabi season is positive in view of better level in the reservoirs and good soil moisture. 

CWC’s weekly bulletin on the live storage status of the 155 major reservoirs showed that the storage was 147.942 billion cubic metres (BCM) (82 per cent) of the total capacity of 180.852 BCM. 

In the northern region, the level in the 11 reservoirs was down to 57 per cent of the 19.836 BCM capacity at 11.382 BCM. Apart from Punjab, the level in Himachal was 50 per cent and Rajasthan had a better storage at 89 per cent of the capacity. 

The level in the 25 reservoirs of the eastern region was 72 per cent of the 20.798 BCM capacity at 14.926 BCM. The sole reservoir in Tripura was filled to 91 per cent of the capacity, while dams in Bengal and Jharkhand were filled 74 per cent and 76 per cent, respectively. 

No western disturbance

The 50 reservoirs in the western region were filled to 93 per cent of the 37.357 BCM capacity at 34.885 BCM. Goa’s sole reservoir was filled to the brim, while the level in Maharashtra and Gujarat was 95 and 91 per cent, respectively. 

The level in the central region’s 26 reservoirs was 40.849 BCM against the 44.227 BCM capacity. The storage in Madhya Pradesh, a key State for rabi crops,  was 91 per cent, while it was 88 per cent in Uttarakhand. In Uttar Pradesh, the level was 66 per cent and in Chhattisgarh, it was 69 per cent. 

The 43 reservoirs in the southern region were filled to 84 per cent of the 54.634 BCM capacity at 45.901 BCM. Telangana storage was filled 99 per cent, while the level in Andhra was 80 per cent. The level in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu was 86 per cent each and in Kerala, 75 per cent.

The situation will likely improve in the South with Cyclone Fengal resulting in heavy rains in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The IMD said no western disturbance is likely to affect the north-western parts. This could result in the reservoir levels dropping further.