Water levels in 42 reservoirs in south India drop

NEW DELHI: Looming water shortage continues to stare at southern India as level of storage of 42 key reservoirs in five states - Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu - has collectively reduced to 17% of the reservoir capacity, bringing the level to lower than the storage during the corresponding period last year.

Individually, Kerala's reservoirs have, however, better storage than last year.

Data released by the Central Water Commission (CWC) shows that these reservoirs had 8.8 billion cubic meters (BCM) of water as on Thursday (April 25) against a total storage capacity of 53.3 BCM.

The storage during the corresponding period of last year was 29% of total capacity whereas average storage of the last 10 years during corresponding period was 23% of the total live storage capacity of these reservoirs.

"Thus, storage during current year (17% of total capacity) is less than the storage of corresponding period of last year and is also less than the average storage of last ten years during the corresponding period," said a weekly bulletin on status of the country's 150 key reservoirs, spread over five regions, monitored by the CWC.

Though water level in reservoirs of other regions, except the eastern region, too declined compared to the live storage during the corresponding period last year, reservoirs in the southern region showed the steepest fall.

Overall, 150 reservoirs across the country collectively had 53.3 BCM of waters which was 30% of the total live capacity of 178.7 BCM on Thursday. Reduction in water level at this time of the year is, however, not unusual, but its sharp decline this year is quite worrisome as monsoon is still more than a month away from the country's mainland.

"The overall higher decline in reservoirs across India is attributed to below average monsoon rainfall last year. Less monsoon rains means less storage in these reservoirs during the rainy season and more withdrawal of water during the post-monsoon phase, both for drinking and irrigation purposes," said an official.

He said the forecast of 'above normal' monsoon rainfall this year would, however, bring relief.