Water level in major reservoirs below last 10 years average

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Water storage in the country has declined below the last 10 years average with the capacity of at least 23 reservoirs below 50 per cent of their normal storage level, the Central Water Commission’s weekly bulletin said on Thursday.

The storage in 150 major reservoirs as of August 31 was 113.417 billion cubic metres (BCM). This is 63 per cent of the total capacity of these reservoirs. During the same period last year, the level was 146.828 BCM. The average of the last 10 years of storage is 125.117 BCM.

“The live storage available in 150 reservoirs is 77 per cent of the live storage of the corresponding period of last year and 91 per cent of storage of the average of the last ten years,” the bulletin said.

Per the bulletin, the storage level in Bihar is the most precarious as it is lower by 66 per cent from the normal, while it is 57 per cent below normal in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The level is 52 per cent lower in Tamil Nadu, 49 per cent in Kerala, 41 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, 26 per cent in Odisha, 25 per cent in Jharkhand and 22 per cent in Karnataka. 

Reservoirs in Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, Nagaland, and Uttarakhand have better water storage. The reservoirs where the storage is less than 50 per cent include Mettur, Nagarjuna Sagar, Chandan Dam, Aliyar, Bhima, Rangawan, Yeleru, Machkund, Tilaiya, Meja, Kadana, Krishnaraja Sagara, Periyar, Kakki, and Idukki.

Region-wise

In the 42 reservoirs in the southern region, which witnessed a 60 per cent rainfall deficit in August, the storage was 25.878 BCM. This is 49 per cent of the capacity against 90 per cent last year. The Cauvery basin is one among the river basins where the water level is over 40 per cent lower at 47.84 per cent. Pennar (-64.81 per cent) and the basin of east flowing rivers between Mahanadi and Pennar (-63.64 per cent) are the one mainly affected due to truant monsoon this year.

The water level in 26 reservoirs in the central region comprising UP, M.P., Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand, was 35.138 BCM —73 per cent of the capacity against 77 per cent a year ago.

In 49 reservoirs in Gujarat and Maharashtra, the level was 26.323 BCM, 71 per cent of the capacity against 88 per cent last year.

Punjab, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh are better placed to get water in rabi season as well as during September as water level in 10 reservoirs was 16.239 BCM,  same as last year at 83 per cent of the capacity.