Storage in India’s key reservoirs rises for 6th week in a row

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The storage level in the 150 major Indian reservoirs increased for the sixth consecutive week thanks to a 44 per cent surplus rainfall in the first week of August, data from the Central Water Commission (CWC) showed.

In its weekly bulletin on the status of the major reservoirs this week, CWC said the level in the major reservoirs was 65 per cent of the 178.784 billion cubic metres (BCM) capacity at 115.736 BCM. This is higher than the storage during the same time a year ago at 108.639 BCM. 

Special feature

One of the features of the improved storage this week is that the water level is lower than normal in 7 States compared with 12 last week. Barring the northern region, comprising Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, the level in the other four regions is higher than usual. 

Also, nine reservoirs are filled to capacity against three last week. The level in 51 (67 last week) storage is below 50 per cent.  

Tamil Nadu is the major beneficiary of the 7 per cent excess south-west monsoon as the storage in the State is 76 per cent above normal.  It has received 67 per cent excess rainfall till now. The Aliyar, Sholayar — which went dry in May — and Mettur dams are filled to capacity. 

Five of the 42 reservoirs in the southern region are full with the level in Andhra Pradesh still 33 per cent below normal. In Karnataka, Telangana and Kerala, the storage is 30 per cent, 9 per cent and 20 per cent higher than usual, respectively. 

North trailing

Of the 10 reservoirs in the northern region, the storage in 8 is below 50 per cent. The storage this week was 46 per cent of the 19.663 BCM capacity at 9.076 BCM. The level in Himachal (-15 per cent), Punjab (-70 per cent) and Rajasthan (-21 per cent) was below usual.

The level in the 23 reservoirs of the eastern region was 47 per cent of the 20.430 BCM capacity at 9.642 BCM. The storage in Bihar (-29 per cent) and  West Bengal (-31 per cent) was below normal, though the situation has improved from a week ago.

In the 49 reservoirs of the western region, the storage this week was 65 per cent of the 37.130 BCM capacity at 23.971 BCM. Storage in Maharashtra — which was reeling under a prolonged dry period until last month — improved this week to 13 per cent above normal; while in Gujarat it was 24 per cent higher. 

In the central region, the level in the 26 reservoirs was 31.898 BCM or 66 per cent of the 48.227 BCM capacity. Barring Uttarakhand (-7 per cent), the storage in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh was higher than normal. 

With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting further widespread rainfall across the country over the next couple of days, the storage is expected to increase further.