The storage in India’s 161 major reservoirs declined further this week to 35.5 per cent of the capacity, with the level in three-fourths of them below 50 per cent, data from the Central Water Commission (CWC) showed.

CWC’s weekly data on the storage in the major dams showed that the level was 64.814 billion cubic metres (BCM) of the 182.375 BCM capacity. This is 17 percentage points more than last year and 18 percentage points higher than normal (last 10 years). The level in 96 (59.6 per cent) of the dams was below 40 per cent.

51% of India rain deficient

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), 51 per cent of the 715 districts in the country received deficient or no rainfall between March 1 and April 24. The department has predicted below-normal rainfall in April.

The storage in the 11 reservoirs of the northern region was filled to 23 per cent of the 19.836 BCM capacity at 4.709 BCM. The level in Punjab’s lone dam was 16 per cent of capacity. In Himachal and Rajasthan, the storage was 25.7 per cent and 40.5 per cent, respectively. 

In the eastern region, the 27 reservoirs were filled to 31.3 per cent or 6.78 BCM of the 21.655 BCM capacity. Only Jharkhand, Meghalaya and Tripura had levels around or over 50 per cent. In Bihar and Mizoram, the storage was below 20 per cent.

Among the 50 reservoirs in the western region, the storage was 39.58 per cent of the 37.357 BCM capacity at 14.784 BCM. The level in Mahrashtra was 36.6 per cent, and in Gujarat and Goa, it was 42.6 per cent and 47 per cent, respectively. 

TN storage 65%

The 28 reservoirs in the central region saw their levels dipping to 43.28 per cent of 21.027 BCM of the 48.588 BCM capacity. Barring Madhya Pradesh, where the storage was 48.9 per cent, the level in the rest of the States was below 40 per cent. 

In the 45 reservoirs of the southern region, the level was 31.88 per cent of the 54.939 BCM capacity at 17.517 BCM. Tamil Nadu continued to boast of the best storage in the country at 65 per cent, while barring Kerala (37.5 per cent), the level was below 30 per cent in the rest of the States. 

With summer peaking in India, the storage level will likely decline further. 

Published on April 24, 2025