After six weeks of monsoon, reservoir water levels at 34% of live storage capacity
Central and western India witnessed highest increase in water levels, though three reservoirs in Maharashtra remain dry.
The total water in the 91 major reservoirs in the country stood at 54.419 billion cubic metres on Thursday, according to data from the Central Water Commission. This accounts for 34% of the live storage capacity (157.8 bcm) of the reservoirs, as against 29% on July 15, and 18% on July 6.
Water levels in reservoirs in central and western India have witnessed the highest increase since monsoon reached India on June 8. While reservoirs in Maharashtra and Gujarat have around 32% water of their total storage capacity, those in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh currently have 48% water, reported Economic Times. However, three reservoirs in Maharashtra still doesn't have any water.
This year, the Met department has predicted average to above-average rainfall in the country. “The rains which are at present passing through a slightly weak phase will again become active over south Chhattisgarh, Telangana and parts of Vidarbha over the next 24 to 48 hours because a cyclonic circulation around coastal Andhra will move inwards,” Mahesh Palawat, chief meteorologist at private weather forecasting firm Skymet, told Business Standard.