Despite good monsoon rains, water level below normal in 13 states
19-Jul-2024 02:11 PM
New Delhi. Latest data from the Central Water Commission shows that the overall water stock in 150 major reservoirs of the country increased for the third consecutive week, but it declined in the northern states.
According to the commission's report, water stock is at or below normal levels in at least 13 states. However, the number of dried-up reservoirs has come down from seven to three within a month.
At the national level, the total storage capacity of water in 150 major reservoirs is 178.784 billion cubic metres (BCM), while in the current week, 52,722 BCM or 29 per cent of the water was present, while in the previous week it was only 26 per cent.
Out of these 150 reservoirs, 119 still have water stock below 50 per cent, while in 95 of these 119 reservoirs, the water level is less than 40 of the normal storage capacity.
In fact, the southwest monsoon rainfall in June was 11 percent less than the normal average, by mid-July it became 9 percent more.
Due to good rainfall in different parts of the country, the water level in dams and reservoirs increased.
It is expected to increase further. Although the pace of monsoon slowed down a bit during the second week, its intensity, speed and intensity are expected to increase in the second fortnight of July.
According to the Meteorological Department, during the current monsoon season from 1 June to 18 July 2024, the total rainfall at the national level was 3 percent less than the normal average.
Out of the 724 districts of the country from which meteorological data is collected, monsoon rainfall has been less or very less than the normal average in 39 percent of the districts.
Southern India received 19 percent surplus rainfall, but the northwestern part recorded 10 percent less rainfall and the central region 4 percent less rainfall.
Similarly, the eastern and northeastern states of the country received 12 percent less rainfall than normal.
The Meteorological Department has predicted good rainfall in widespread areas in the next two-three days, except the eastern part of the Southern Peninsula and the northwestern region.