The CWC’s weekly reservoir data showed that the storage in the 161 reservoirs was 66.821 billion cubic metres (BCM) of the 182.38 BCM capacity
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RAO GN

The storage level in India’s 161 major reservoirs dropped further this week to 37 per cent of the capacity with the level in almost 65 per cent of them filled below 50 per cent, data from the Central Water Commission (CWC) showed.

The CWC’s weekly reservoir data showed that the storage in the 161 reservoirs was 66.821 billion cubic metres (BCM) of the 182.38 BCM capacity. Of these, the level in 78 of them was below 40 per cent, while it was below 50 per cent in 27 others.

Overall storage higher

The storage in the southern, northern and eastern regions was below 40 per cent, while it was lower than 50 per cent in the western and central regions. The overall storage is, however, higher than last year and the normal (past 10 years). 

Of the 11 reservoirs in the northern region, the level was 23.16 per cent of the 19.836 BCM capacity at 4.593 BCM. The storage in Punjab and Himachal were below 20 per cent, while it was a little above 40 per cent in Rajasthan. 

In the 27 reservoirs of the eastern region, the storage was 35.65 per cent of 7.72 BCM of the 21.655 BCM capacity. Barring Tripura, Jharkhand and Meghalaya, the level in the rest of the States was 40 per cent of the capacity. 

The storage in all the four Central States — MP, UP, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand — dropped below 50 per cent this week. The level in the 28 reservoirs was 43.39 per cent of the 48.588 BCM capacity at 21.084 BCM. 

The 50 reservoirs in the western region were filled to 44.72 per cent of their 37.357 BCM capacity at 16.705 BCM.  Goa’s lone dam was filled above 50 per cent, but reservoirs in Maharashtra and Gujarat had a storage of 42 per cent and 47 per cent, respectively. 

The storage in the 45 reservoirs of the southern region was 30.43 per cent or 16.719 BCM of the 54.939 BCM capacity. The level in Kerala, Andhra and Tamil Nadu was below 30 per cent, while it was just about 30 per cent in Karnataka and a shad below 40 per cent in Telangana.

With the India Meteorological Department predicting above-normal temperatures in April and below-normal rainfall, the storage level will likely fall further.

Published on April 11, 2025