Reservoir levels recover, but water supply remains below normal | Today’s news

India’s reservoir levels have rebounded in recent weeks, improving prospects for rabi irrigation and hydropower generation. But the recovery is uneven: while reservoirs in western, central and eastern India are now above their long-term normal levels, stocks in northern and southern regions remain well below normal, according to data from the Central Water Commission (CWC).

The national image remains weaker than usual. Water stocks in the 178 monitored reservoirs stood at 130.55 billion cubic meters (BCM) as of September 10, or 70.66% of their combined live storage capacity – 6.9% below normal and 20.1% less than a year earlier.

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Reservoir location is also important for food prices, with water availability for the rabi crop becoming important as food inflation remains high. Food inflation rose to 5.95% in August from 5.52%, according to data released on Monday by the Office for National Statistics.

Regional recovery

The western region, comprising Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra, had 31,575 BCM in 58 reservoirs, or 81.79% live storage capacity, against the normal level of 77.81%. Storage was still below the 91.35% recorded a year earlier.

The central region, comprising Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, had 40,613 BCM in 28 reservoirs, or 83.59% of capacity, against the normal level of 79.5%. The 31 reservoirs in the eastern region held 15,247 BCM, or 69.77% of capacity, marginally above the normal level of 69.6%.

The northern region, on the other hand, had 12,652 BCM in 11 reservoirs, or 63.78% of capacity, against the normal level of 78.53%. The 50-reservoir South region held 30,467 BCM, or 54.52%, well below its normal level of 73%.

“Improved reservoir storage is positive for the rabi crop. However, the low water level in the southern region is a cause for concern, given the region’s greater dependence on reservoirs for irrigation. In the northern region, areas with good irrigation facilities are unlikely to face major problems, but regions without adequate irrigation could come under pressure,” said Sudhir Panwar, an agricultural policy expert and former member of the Uttar Planning Commission.

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The improvement is significant compared to August 13, when reservoir levels were weaker in most regions. The northern region had the lowest storage at 50.5% capacity compared to the normal level of 62% as of August 13. The southern region was at 54.8%, well below the normal level of 64.3%. In the central region, reservoirs were 57% full, with live storage of 27.70 BCM, against the normal level of 60.5%.

The Eastern region was the exception with a reserve of 50.8%, or 11.06 BCM, slightly above its normal level of 48.4%. The Western region had the strongest position with storage at 78.78% of capacity, or 30.01 BCM, against the long-term normal of 62.83%.

An email query sent to the jal shakti ministry remained unanswered till press time.

Monsoon matters

The recovery in reservoir levels reflects an improvement in the monsoon in recent weeks, although cumulative rainfall remains below normal for the season.

India received 213.3 mm of rainfall in August against the normal of 254.9 mm. Cumulative rainfall from 1 June to 12 September was 662.3 mm, against the normal 778.6 mm, a deficit of 15%. Precipitation was 35.4% below normal in June, 1% above normal in July, and 16.3% below normal in August. India is likely to fall below 91% of its Long Term Average (LPA) in September. The September LPA, based on the climatological record from 1971-2020, is 167.9 mm.

Improved rainfall and reservoir levels could also boost hydropower generation, which fell 11% year-on-year between April and August. Hydropower usually helps fill gaps in heat generation, especially when coal supplies are disrupted by rain. This year, weaker coal production and lower hydropower production have put additional pressure on the power system, with daily power shortages exceeding 25 million units in September, according to the Grid Controller of India.

“The overall monsoon has been erratic this year. However, the recent increase in rains and reservoir levels may lead to better hydropower generation in the coming days,” said Raj Kumar Chaudhary, former chairman and managing director of NHPC Ltd.

However, any increase in hydropower generation could be short-lived as the monsoon recedes and a period of lean hydropower generation begins. Winter precipitation could change this outlook, potentially supporting higher winter generation as seen in 2025.

India’s agricultural sector remains heavily dependent on the monsoon, with the southwest monsoon accounting for more than 70% of the country’s annual rainfall and serving as the primary source of water for agriculture and reservoirs.

The impact is already visible during kharif sowing. Farmers planted 108.63 million hectares as of Sept. 4, about 1.6% below the area covered in the same period last year, according to agriculture ministry data.