Declining Reservoir Levels: Risk of Crop Stress Rising Amid El Niño Concerns
24-Apr-2026 09:53 AM
Declining Reservoir Levels: Risk of Crop Stress Rising Amid El Niño Concerns
★ Water storage in India’s 166 major reservoirs has dropped to just 40.86% of total capacity.
★ About two-thirds (110 reservoirs) are below 50% capacity, while 78 reservoirs are even below 40%.
★ Since March 1, nearly 34% of districts have received deficient or no rainfall, further worsening the situation.
★ Southern India is the worst affected, with storage levels falling below 30%, especially in Telangana and Karnataka. Eastern and northern regions are also under pressure, with levels ranging between 35–45%, while the western region is relatively better but not fully secure.
★ With rising heatwaves, reservoir levels are likely to decline further in the coming days.
★ If El Niño develops this year, it could reduce rainfall even more, leading to lower water availability and directly impacting crop irrigation.