AMID scorching summer, the total live storage available in 150 key reservoirs across India is 24 per cent of the total live storage capacity, marking a 21 per cent decrease recorded during the same period last year, according to official data. The Central Water Commission (CWC) released its weekly bulletin on Friday on the live storage status of 150 key reservoirs across India, revealing a significant decline in water levels compared to last year. The southern region, encompassing Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, is the most affected. The 42 reservoirs in this region have a total capacity of 53.334 BCM, with current storage at just 7.455 BCM (14 per cent). This is significantly lower than last year’s 25 per cent and the normal 20 per cent.

 

The total live storage available is 43.293 billion cubic meters (BCM), which is 24 per cent of the total live storage capacity of these reservoirs. This marks a 21 per cent decrease from the 55.037 BCM recorded during the same period last year and is also below the normal storage of 45.480 BCM, based on the average of the last ten years. The current storage represents 79 per cent of last year’s levels and 95 per cent of the ten-year average normal storage. The northern states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan have 10 monitored reservoirs with a combined live storage capacity of 19.663 BCM, but currently hold only 5.554 BCM (28 per cent). This is a decline from last year’s 37 per cent and below the normal 31 per cent. In contrast, the eastern region, which includes Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Tripura, Nagaland, and Bihar, shows a slight improvement. The 23 reservoirs in this region have a total capacity of 20.430 BCM, with current storage at 6.013 BCM (29 per cent).