Reservoirs storage capacity at 82%, significant rise from last year: CWC

The Central Water Commission (CWC) reported that the live storage in 155 major reservoirs across India stood at 147.943 billion cubic metres (BCM) as of Thursday which represents 82% of the total live storage capacity.

This reflects a significant increase compared to last year's 117.4 BCM during the same period. The current levels are also 117 per cent of the average storage over the past decade.

According to the weekly bulletin issued by the Central Water Commission, the reservoirs, critical for irrigation, drinking water, and hydropower, displayed varying trends across regions.

The northern states, including Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan, recorded storage at 57 per cent of capacitylower than the 70 per cent recorded last year.

In contrast, the southern region, comprising Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, reported a robust 84 per cent of live capacity, showing substantial improvement from 43 per cent during the same period in 2023.

In Eastern region, storage levels reached 72 per cent of capacity, slightly surpassing last year's 70 per cent while reservoirs here were 93 per cent full, a notable rise from 80 per cent last year in the western region.

In central region, covering states like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the reservoirs held 85 per cent of capacity, improving from 74 per cent in 2023 while the performance was strongest in the southern region, with levels at 84 per cent, significantly higher than historical norms.

Regions benefiting from higher-than-average rainfall showed better storage performance.

However, areas with deficient rainfall, such as Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, experienced significant storage shortfalls.

The report underlined the importance of sustained water management efforts, particularly in regions facing deficient rainfall.

It also emphasises optimising the use of available water to meet the growing demands of agriculture, urban areas, and industry.