Reservoir storage level across India shows positive trend this year
A similar trend is observed in the other three regions, east, west, and central, while the situation in the northern region is not as good as in other regions.
CHENNAI: With the temperature already being harsh and tougher days lying ahead, the water levels recorded in major reservoirs across the country promise respite for the public from the scorching heat.
As of March 6, the live storage available in 155 reservoirs, including 46 in the southern region, stands at 89.833 billion cubic metres (BCM). This accounts for 50 per cent of the total storage of 180.852 BCM, which is considerably better than the corresponding period last year.
In the southern region, which includes Tamil Nadu and six other southern states, the water storage level is 25.749 BCM, accounting for 47 per cent of the total live storage capacity in 43 reservoirs. This is 21 per cent higher than the corresponding period last year and 12 per cent higher than the normal storage (the average storage of the last ten years), according to the Central Water Commission's (CWC) reservoir bulletin dated March 6.
A similar trend is observed in the other three regions, east, west, and central, while the situation in the northern region is not as good as in other regions.
According to the CWC's bulletin, the live storage level of reservoirs during the corresponding period was 74.837 BCM, while the normal storage was 77.061 BCM. The current storage level is 120 per cent of last year's live storage for the same period and 117 per cent of the normal storage. This indicates that the present water storage level is considerably better than the average level over the last ten years.
The western region, comprising Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Goa, with 50 reservoirs monitored by the CWC, has recorded an increased live storage level. The water level stood at 22.947 BCM, which is 10 per cent higher than the corresponding period last year, accounting for 51 per cent of the total storage capacity.
Additionally, the water storage level in 26 reservoirs across Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, which fall under the central region, is also higher than last year. The live water storage in these reservoirs is 25.249 BCM, compared to a total storage capacity of 48.227 BCM, with a 3 per cent increase compared to the same period last year and 14 per cent more than the normal storage for this period.
However, this positive trend is not reflected in the rest of the country. In the northern region, which includes Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan, water storage in 11 reservoirs stands at 5.687 BCM, accounting for 29 per cent of the total storage capacity of 19.836 BCM. This is about 6 per cent lower than the corresponding period last year and 8 per cent less than the normal storage for this time.
