Storage level in Indian key reservoirs up for 2nd week in a row

The storage in the 150 major reservoirs in India continued to rise for the second week in a row with the south-west monsoon being above-normal so far this month.

After a 11 per cent deficiency in June, the monsoon has more than made up with the deficiency being cut to 2 per cent as of July 11. Though the intensity of the monsoon has reduced over the last couple of days, it is expected to gather momentum over the next couple of days, particularly in central and north-west India. 

In line with the coverage of the monsoon, the storage improved in some States such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Maharashtra this week. However, it dropped in Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand — all key kharif crops growing States. 

112 below 40%

The Central Water Commission (CWC) said in its weekly bulletin on live storage status of 150 reservoirs in the country that the level increased to 26 per cent (22 per cent last week) of the 178.784 billion cubic metres (BCM) capacity at 46.311 BCM. 

Of these 150, the level in 131 continues to be below 50 per cent of capacity against 136 last week with the storage in 112 (126 last week) below 40 per cent. This week, the storage situation improved in all the five regions. 

 According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), data received from 724 districts show that 36 per cent (38 per cent) of them are still rain-deficient.  However, the rainfall deficiency in the east and north-eastern region has shrunk to five per cent and the central region to seven per cent. 

It is one per cent excess in the north-west region and nine per cent excess in the southern region. Despite this, the reservoirs’ level in Andhra Pradesh is 77 per cent (76 per cent) lower than normal, while in Telangana it is 17 per cent (five per cent) below usual. 

Rapid change in Karnataka

In Tamil Nadu, the situation has improved to 30 per cent (40 per cent) lower than normal. The level in Karnataka improved rapidly to 12 per cent above usual from 15 per cent below normal last week, while in Kerala the storage was 13 per cent (26 per cent) above normal. 

Overall, of the 42 reservoirs in the region, the level was 26 per cent (19 per cent) of the 53.334 BCM capacity at 13.767 BCM with Andhra reservoirs filled up to only six per cent of the capacity.

All the 10 reservoirs of the northern region had storage that was less than 50 per cent of the capacity of 19.663 BCM. The storage this  week was 5.979 BCM or 30. In Punjab, the storage was 42 per cent (35 per cent) below normal, while it was 21 per cent (20 per cent) lower than usual in Rajasthan. 

In the 23 reservoirs of the eastern region, the storage was 20 per cent (19 per cent) of the 20.430 BCM capacity at 4.132 BCM. In West Bengal, the reservoirs’ level was 41 per cent (38 per cent) below normal, while in Odisha it was 25 per cent (22 per cent) lower than usual.

Kharif sowing up

In the western region, the level in the 49 reservoirs increased to 25 per cent of the 37.130 BCM capacity at  9.398 BCM. While the storage in Gujarat has become 1 per cent below normal from 12 per cent above normal, it was 11 per cent (14 per cent) lower than usual in Maharashtra.

The storage in the 26 reservoirs of the central region was 27 per cent (25 per cent) of the 48.227 BCM capacity at 13.035 BCM.  

If the storage level continues to improve and the south-west monsoon continues to be above-normal, it will help kharif sowing. As of July 5,  the overall acreage was 14 per cent higher.