Ahead of summer, water levels in reservoirs drop below last year's

As India is about to step into a long and dry summer, water levels in 85 important reservoirs across the country have dropped below last year’s, mainly due to the poor southwest monsoon last year and subsequent shortfall in winter rains. According to Central Water Commission, the total water available in these reservoirs as on March 19 was 57.44 billion cubic metres (bcm), 83 per cent of last year’s level and 37 per cent of the total capacity. Of the 85 reservoirs, 37 have significant hydro-power potential.

The worst water levels are in western and centrals parts of the country. In western India, of the 22 major reservoirs, the available water is 10.06 bcm, which is 41 per cent of the total storage.

During the same period last year, water available was 53 per cent of the total storage. In central India, of the total capacity of 42.03 bcm, the available water is only 18.92 bcm, which is 45 per cent of the capacity. Last year during the same period, the available water was 54 per cent of the total capacity.

In southern India, too, the available water, as on March 19, is 24 per cent of the total capacity. During the same period last year, it was 27 per cent.

India’s southwest monsoon in 2014 was 12 per cent below normal, which was classified as ‘mild drought’. The rainfall during the October-December period was 33 per cent below normal.

However, monsoon rains in 2015 have a higher chance of being normal, according to preliminary analysis done by some weather services. Private weather service provider Skymet, along with industry body ASSOCHAM, has said in a recent study that this year’s rainfall will be normal at 103 per cent of the long period (50-year) average.

“Though the overall rainfall this year is expected to be normal, there would be pockets where the showers are expected to be deficient, which include Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Marathwada, Rayalseema, South Interior Karnataka, North Tamil Nadu and parts of the North East,” a joint-study titled ‘Monsoon 2015: Agri-business Risk or Opportunity’ noted.

Skymet will come out with its first official forecast for 2015 southwest monsoon sometime in April. So will the official forecast of the India Meteorological Department.