India enters summer with 20% of live water storage in its reservoirs

The average live water storage in all 91 water reservoirs in India is 20 per cent and the water levels of 77 of them are at 40 per cent or less, says the latest bulletin of Central Water Commission, a monitoring agency for water levels of the reservoirs in the country.

The amount of water in these reservoirs has been steadily declining, shows an analysis of the past three months’ data. According to the report released by Central Water Commission on May 10, the water level in 77 reservoirs has dipped to 40 per cent or less height compared to the full reservoir level (FRL). Just 7 days ago, this number was 73. Two months ago, only 60 per cent of the reservoirs had been put into the ‘40 per cent or less water level’ category and now 85 per cent fall in it.

Less than a month ago, the average live water storage capacity in all the reservoirs was at 25 per cent.

The reservoirs in nine out of 18 Indian states, which house reservoirs, have seen the amount of water stored dip constantly in the last three months. The water stored in reservoirs in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu and Telengana is the least compared to other states (based on data between March and May, 2018). If compared basin wise, the reservoirs in Indus, Tapi, Krishna, Cauvery and East flowing rivers of the south are worst affected when compared with the normal storage, which is the average water storage of last 10 years.  

Live water storage of reservoirs in states where the current storage is less than normal storage

Source: Central Water Commission

(For the table: Normal storage = Average of 10 years; The departure is negative when the current storage is less than the normal storage)

This data goes to show that the live storage in reservoirs in all regions except the south have dipped in the last one year, but the southern region’s current live storage is less than the average storage of the last 10 years. 

Region-wise data on current storage, storage last year and average storage of last 10 years (as of May 10, 2018)

Source: Central Water Commission

This data presents an alarming picture as it shows that the reservoirs have been seeing an average reduction of 20 per cent in their water storage every month since March. This could turn scary if the country receives a delayed monsoon or below normal rainfall. 

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India Environment Portal Resources :

• Drought Management Plan
• Question raised in Lok Sabha on Water Storage in Reservoirs, 30/03/2017
• Report on the spot study of water situation in drought affected areas of the country (2015-16)
• Handbook of drought indicators and indices