Major reservoirs across India witness fall in water levels

New Delhi: The current water stored at 91 major reservoirs, monitored by Central Water Commission (CWC), across India is less than last year's average storage and is also lower than the average storage in last 10 years.

According to the Union Water Resources Ministry, the current water available at these reservoirs, as on September 30, was recorded as 61 per cent of their total storage capacity of 157.799 billion cubic metres (BCM), as compapred to the 77 per cent of water storage for the corresponding period last year.

The recorded level is even lowest in the decade's average during the corresponding average.

States having lesser storage than last year are - Punjab, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, (two combined project in both states) Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Only Himachal Pradesh and Tripura have better storage than last year.

In eastern region comprising states like Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Tripura, water levels across 15 reservoirs is 13.28 BCM which is 71 per cent of the total live storage capacity of the dams, a statement by the ministry said.

Storage available here during the corresponding period last year was 82 per cent, while the average for the corresponding decade-long span was 78 per cent, it stated.

"Thus, storage during current year is less than the corresponding period of last year and is also less than the average storage of last ten years during the corresponding period," the ministry said.

However, in northern region, live storage across 6 important reservoirs located is 86 per cent, which is four and two notches higher when compared to corresponding period of last year and 10-year average respectively.

In the western region (Maharashtra and Gujarat) and southern region (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu), which have 27 and 31 important reservoirs respectively, the levels are reported to be lower compared to those reported during last year and the 10-year average.

Live stock available at the reservoirs in western region is 62 per cent of the capacity storage as against levels reported during corresponding period last year and decade average of 83 per cent.

In southern region, the live stock is less than half, at 34 per cent of live storage capacity, vis-a-vis 71 per cent in 2014 for the same span and even shorter of decade average of 81 per cent for the corresponding period.

Similarly, water stock in 12 important reservoirs located in the Central region comprising Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh is less at 77 per cent of total storage capacity than that of 84 per cent available in 2014 for the corresponding period, the statement said.

However, the levels are higher than the 10-year average of 70 per cent.

"Thus, storage during current year is less than the storage of last year but is better than the average storage of last ten years during the corresponding period," the ministry said.

The total storage capacity of all the major reservoirs is about 62 per cent of the total storage capacity of 253.388 BCM, which is estimated to have been created in the country.