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Journalism of Courage
Since the southwest monsoon covered the entire country on July 2, the majority of geographical regions have received steady or continuous rainfall. As on September 12, the country had received 836.7 mm of rain, an 8% surplus for this time of the season.
The latest weekly reservoir and river basin data from Central Water Commission (CWC) show the overall storage position is better than that of last year, as well as the normal storage position during the corresponding period.
Of the total live storage capacity of 180.852 billion cubic metres (BCM) in 155 reservoirs, the current available stock is 153.757 BCM, which is 85% of the total live storage capacity. At the same time last year, total water reserves stood at 119.451 BCM; the 10-year average is 130.594 BCM.
Of the 155 reservoirs, 141 have more than 80% of their live storage capacity; only five have 50% or less.
NORTH: Eleven reservoirs across Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan offer cumulative live water storage of 19.836 BCM. The available water stock this week is 13.468 BCM, which is 68% of the total live storage capacity. Storage during the same period last year was 81% of live storage capacity, and the decadal average is 82% — thus, storage during the current year is less.
Until September 11, Himachal (535.9 mm) and Punjab (304.5 mm) recorded 21% and 24% below normal rainfall respectively. More significantly, these states have not received normal rainfall throughout the season.
EAST: Twenty-five reservoirs monitored by CWC in Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Tripura, Nagaland, and Bihar together have a live storage capacity of 20.798 BCM. The cumulative reserves available on September 12 was 15.797 BCM, which was 76% of capacity. This number was 58% last year, and the decadal average is 69%.
Even though rainfall received over Nagaland and Bihar showed a negative departure of 28% each till September 11, this has not affected the region’s reservoir stocks, thanks to good rainfall over the rest of the states.
WEST: Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Goa have 50 reservoirs under CWC monitoring, with a total live storage capacity of 37.357 BCM. The latest available live water stock was 33.526 BCM, which was 90% of total live storage capacity. During the same period last September, the available water stock was 75%, and the 10-year average is 73%.
The abundant stocks are because both Gujarat and Maharashtra have received very good rain this season; Gujarat in particular, has faced massive floods, and it has rained even in the deserts of Kutch.
CENTRAL: This region has 26 reservoirs in UP, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, with a total live storage capacity of 48.227 BCM. As of September 12, the water stock stood at 42.808 BCM, which was 89% of the total live storage. In 2023, this was 76%, and the decadal average is 77%.
All of the central Indian region has benefited from either normal or excess rainfall since the start of the monsoon season in June.
SOUTH: The 43 reservoirs under CWC monitoring in this region have a collective live water storage capacity of 54.634 BCM. The latest stock stands at 48.158 BCM, which is 88% of total capacity — much better than 2023 (49%), and the decadal average (65%).
South India, too, has received ample and widespread rainfall during the past four months. Even Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh and their neighbourhoods, which do not receive much rainfall from the southwest monsoon, have benefited this season, raising dam reserves. Reservoirs in Karnataka went from dead stock in the summer to multiple optimal fillings during this season.
The storage situation is better than last year in Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Nagaland, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
The situation is unchanged in Goa and Telangana; it is worse than in 2023 in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttarakhand
Major river basins have normal or above storage. These include Barak and others (98.72%), Krishna (94.53%), Cauvery (93.54%), Narmada (92.19%), Godavari (91.85%), Tapi (85.96%), Ganga (83.29%), Mahanadi (83.48%), Mahi (83.91%) and Brahmaputra (66.93%).
