Water Levels In Major Reservoirs In The Country

 Central Water commission (CWC) under Ministry of Water Resources is monitoring storage position of 81 important reservoirs spread all over the country, of which as many as 36 reservoirs are having significant hydropower benefits with installed capacities of more than 60MW each.

The Central Water Commission monitors the live storage of 81 important/major reservoirs, having capacity at Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 151.77 billion cubic meters (BCM), which is about 67% of total reservoir capacity in the country. The combined live storage in these 81 reservoirs at the beginning of monsoon i.e. June 01, 2010 was 13% of their designed capacity and stood at 12% of designed capacity as on June 24, 2010. The present storage is 131% of last year's storage and 89% of last 10 years average storage during the same period.

Water stock in 81 major reservoirs increased to 18.75 BCM from the previous week's level of 18.28 BCM. Current storage is higher than the last year's position of 14.37 BCM and the average of last 10 year's storage of 21.16 BCM.

There were 38 reservoirs having storage more than 80%, 15 reservoirs having storagebetween 50% to 80% of Normal Storage, 9 reservoirs having storage between 30% to50% of Normal Storage and 12 reservoirs having storage below 30% of normal storage.

The storage position in Narmada, Cauvery and NEFRs and Krishna basins are better than average of previous 10 years, West Flowing Rivers of South and Rivers of Kutch are flowing close to normal and storage position in Ganga, Indus, Mahanadi & NEFRs, Tapi, Sabarmati, Mahi and Godavari basins are deficient. Out of 36 reservoirs with significant hydro potential 27 reservoirs have storage build up less than the average of last 10 years capacity.

In order to derive the best possible benefits from the available water, Central Water Commission is keeping in touch with the Department of Agriculture and Co-operation and providing information of the weekly storage position to the Crop Weather Watch Group for evolving suitable crop strategies and also appraising the situation to various Departments and Ministries involved in Water Resources Planning.