Reservoir levels fall to 35% of capacity

Water levels in India’s 150 major reservoirs have dropped to 35% of their total capacity, particularly in the South where six have gone dry and levels in another 20 are in the single digit.

Cities like Bengaluru have been grappling with water shortage, which can be attributed to rain deficiency during last year's monsoon, a decline in reservoir level, and the loss of lakes due to rapid urbanization.

The depleting water level in the country is attributed to lower rainfall caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon, resulting in drought and prolonged dry spells in Asia as the Pacific Ocean warmed. As many as 18 states in the country have witnessed rain deficiency or no rainfall since March.

The country has received 8% below-normal rainfall since March, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

According to data from the Central Water Commission (CWC), the available water level this week in these reservoirs was 61.801 billion cubic meter (BCM), 17% lower than the corresponding period last year when it was 74.47 BCM and 2% lower than the average of last 10 years (63.095 BCM).

The live storage available in 150 reservoirs as of Thursday was 83% of the live storage of the corresponding period of the previous year and 98% of storage of average of the past 10 years.

The weather bureau has warned that most regions of the country will witness above-normal temperature during April-June. This prediction, coupled with drying water reservoirs, has prompted agriculture economists to warn of an impact on the current rabi crop.

As many as 18 states in the country have witnessed rain deficiency or no rainfall since March