Deficient rainfall leads to low storage in water reservoirs of north, central India

Deficient rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Odisha and Nagaland resulted in low storage in the India’s major reservoirs, especially in northern and central India. 

Live storage in 130 reservoirs monitored by CWC was 104.819 billion cubic metres, according to data released by Central Water Commission (CWC) on Thursday evening. This is 61 per cent of the total live storage capacity of these reservoirs. 

Himachal Pradesh had a rainfall deficit of 22 per cent till August 19, Gujarat had 48 per cent, Odisha 29 per cent, Nagaland and Punjab 22 per cent each and Rajasthan four per cent. 

The volume of water in reservoirs in HP was 41 per cent below normal on August 19, 2021. The deficit was 36 per cent a week before.  

The trend was similar for Punjab where the deficit increased by nine percentage points, Rajasthan (deficit increased by 5 percentage points), Gujarat (six percentage points) and Madhya Pradesh (seven percentage points. 

In each of these states, there has been 'large deficient' or no rainfall in August. 

Reservoirs in Odisha and Nagaland in eastern India also had lower volume than normal. 

In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the volume was 272 and 139 per cent below normal storage, respectively. 

The river basins of Ganga, Tapi, Mahanadi, Sabarmati and rivers of Kutch have deficient reserves, according to CWC data. Those of Subernarekha, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, however, have stocks above normal. 

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