Reservoir levels in South India drop to 50% of capacity

2023-10-06 14:42:59

The water level in India’s 150 major reservoirs continues to improve with the country receiving 24 per cent excess rainfall so far in October to go with a 36 per cent higher than normal precipitation in September.

However, with Tamil Nadu (-47 per cent), Karnataka (-63 per cent), Andhra Pradesh (-79 per cent), Telangana (-80 per cent) and Puducherry (-61 per cent) receiving deficient rainfall this month, the storage level in South India was only 50 per cent of its capacity as of October 5.

74% of capacity

Data from the Central Water Commission (CWC) weekly bulletin showed that the water level in the major reservoirs was 132.721 billion cubic metres (BCM) or 74 per cent of the capacity. The storage is 17 percentage points lower than the same period a year ago and nine percentage points than the last 10 years’ average.

In South India, the water level was 26.435 BCM of the 53.334 BCM capacity, which is 42 percentage points lower than last year and 25 percentage points down compared with the last 10 year’s average.

The lower storage level does not augur well as the southern States, which do not have irrigation facilities like the northern parts, head into the rabi season with paddy being one of the main crops.

TN woes rise

According to CWC, a month ago, the water level was 25.569 BCM, an indication that the rain Gods have not been as kind as they have been over Central India, which received a bounty in September.

Among southern States, the situation with regard to Tamil Nadu is worrisome. The level in the Mettur (Stanley) reservoir, which provides water to the Cauvery delta area, is only 15 per cent of its capacity. A month ago, the level was 26 per cent.

The storage in Aliyar dam, which provides water to western districts in Tamil Nadu, is a meagre 8 per cent. A month ago, there was no water in the reservoir.

Much to Tamil Nadu’s dismay, the water level in Karnataka’s key reservoirs such as Krishnaraja Sagara (44 per cent of its capacity), is low. It is, however, 10 per cent higher than the level a month ago. The development comes at a time when Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are at loggerheads over the sharing of Cauvery water.

Drop in Telangana surplus

The situation in Kerala, where the reservoir level was 48 per cent lower than the normal a month ago, has improved with the storage now being 26 per cent below normal.

In Tamil Nadu, the level has declined to 62 per cent below normal from 55 per cent a month ago. In Karnataka, the level is 29 per cent below normal versus 25 per cent a month ago. In Andhra Pradesh, the reservoirs are 49 per cent below capacity compared with 33 per cent a month ago. In Telangana, which has excess water, the surplus has dropped to 41 per cent above normal from 76 per cent above normal.

Overall, the storage in 11 reservoirs are currently 50 per cent below compared with 27 reservoirs a month ago.

According to the CWC, the storage in North India is 16.586 BCM, which is 84 per cent of the capacity. Compared with last year, the water level is 10 percentage points lower and 18 percentage points below last 10 years average.

In central, western and eastern parts of the country also, the storage is lower than last year as well as the last 10 years average. However, the water level is at least 78 per cent of the reservoirs’ capacity.

Among other States, the storage is lower in Punjab (-13 per cent) and Uttar Pradesh (-33 per cent), while Gujarat has 33 per cent higher than normal level.