Water

Monsoon 2022 ends with filling up India’s major reservoirs

Some 44 reservoirs have 100 per cent storage at the end of the monsoon

 
By Shagun
Published: Friday 30 September 2022

Live storage in major reservoirs monitored by the Central Water Commission (CWC) increased 184 per cent during the southwest monsoon season between June and September 2022.

The live storage available in 143 reservoirs was 154.181 billion cubic metres (BCM) by the end of the monsoon September 30. It was 54.273 BCM June 2, a day after the monsoon officially began.

The live storage was 87 per cent of the total storage capacity of the 143 reservoirs, according to a CWC bulletin released September 29.

However, while the monsoon has begun its withdrawal, water levels in reservoirs in four states are lower than normal. These are — Odisha, West Bengal, Nagaland, and Uttar Pradesh (UP). The largest state in the country has the highest departure of 24 per cent, followed by West Bengal at 9 per cent.

Normal storage means average storage of last ten years. 

All these states have either had deficient rainfall or an uneven distribution of monsoon during the four months. There are also four reservoirs — two in UP and two in Jharkhand — having 40 per cent or below storage.

Meanwhile, 44 reservoirs have 100 per cent storage at the end of the monsoon. Some 21 of them are in the western region, in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. Of these, 17 were in Maharashtra.

The southern region followed this — comprising Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu — with 10 reservoirs at 100 per cent live storage.

Northern and central regions had five reservoirs at 100 per cent storage, while the eastern region had three such reservoirs. Another 44 reservoirs have 91-99 per cent storage.

The high storage levels in these reservoirs can help water management during drought-related conditions in several parts of India in the coming months, especially during the Rabi sowing season, which will begin in October.

The basin-wise storage position was also good, with ‘better than normal’ stocks in all river basins.

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