Water level in India’s major reservoirs down on below-normal rainfall

The water level in the 155 major reservoirs in the country declined for the 12th week in a row this week with the storage in Punjab’s lone dam dropping below 20 per cent of the capacity, data from the Central Water Commission showed.

The storage has declined as a major part of the country has received deficient post-monsoon and winter rainfall.

According to CWC weekly data of the level in the major reservoirs, the storage was 66 per cent of the 180.852 billion cubic metres (BCM) capacity at 119.505 BCM. This was higher than the storage last year and the average of the last 10 years (normal). 

83% deficient rain

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) data received from 719 districts show that 83 per cent of the country received deficient, scanty or no rainfall between January 1 and 24. Over 60 per cent of the country received deficient post-monsoon rainfall. 

IMD said winter rainfall in January is 62 per cent deficient with the departure from normal last week being -60 per cent. The national weather agency had forecast above-normal rainfall in January, though. 

Of the 11 reservoirs in the northern region, the storage was 38 per cent of the19.836 BCM capacity at 7.596 BCM. The level in Punjab’s Thein dam declined to 18 per cent of capacity, while it slipped to 31 per cent in Himachal. In Rajasthan, however, the situation was better with reservoirs filled to 68 per cent of the capacity.

In the 25 reservoirs of the eastern region, the level was 63.64 per cent of the 20.798 BCM capacity at 13.235 BCM. The storage in Bihar’s lone dam dropped to 25 per cent of capacity, while it was 46 per cent in Nagaland. In other States in the region, the level was above 70 per cent in Jharkhand and Tripura and above 60 per cent in the rest of the States.

M.P. situation better

In the western region’s 50 reservoirs, the level was 78 per cent or 29.156 BCM of the 37.357 BCM capacity.  Goa’s lone reservoir was filled to 93 per cent, while in Maharashtra and Gujarat, the level was 79 per cent and 73 per cent, respectively. 

The 26 reservoirs in the Central region were filled to 69 per cent of the 48.227 BCM at 33.386 BCM. The level dropped below 60 per cent to 59 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, while in Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand the storage was above 60 per cent. Madhya Pradesh’s dams had a better level at 73 per cent. 

In the 43 reservoirs in the southern region, the storage was 66 per cent of the  54.634 BCM at 36.132 BCM. Dams in Tamil Nadu were filled to 86 per cent. The level in Andhra and Telangana was 77 per cent and 74 per cent, respectively. The storage in Karnataka and Kerala was above 60 per cent. 

With the IMD forecasting below-normal rainfall until February 5, the storage will likely decline further over the next couple of weeks.