According to the IMD, the country received 45 per cent deficient rainfall from January 1 to February 11
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H.VIBHU
Storage in India’s 166 major reservoirs dropped this week to 64 per cent of the capacity even as the level in 28 per cent of 166 major dams was above 80 per cent.
According to the Central Water Commission (CWC), the storage in the major reservoirs was down to 118.140 billion cubic metres (BCM) against the 183.565 BCM capacity. This is over 10 per cent higher than a year ago and 25 per cent more than usual (last 10 years level).
While four reservoirs are brimming, the level in 11 was above 90 per cent and in 32, it was above 80 per cent. On the other hand, the storage in 30 reservoirs was below 50 per cent. The level in four of the five regions dropped below 70 per cent. In the western region, the storage was 75 per cent. Also, the storage in the southern region is below last year.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the country received 45 per cent deficient rainfall from January 1 to February 11. At least 76 per cent of the 727 districts in the country received deficient or no rainfall since the beginning of the year.
The CWC’s weekly reservoir data showed that in the 53 reservoirs of the western zone, the storage was 28.691 BCM of the 38.094 BCM capacity. Goa’s lone reservoir was filled to 77 per cent, while the level in Maharashtra and Gujarat was 75 per cent.
Assam precarious
Storage in the central zone’s 28 reservoirs was 75.3 per cent or 32.692 BCM of the 48.588 BCM capacity. The storage in Chhattisgarh was nearly 80 per cent, but it was lower than 70 per cent in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
In the southern region, the level in the 47 reservoirs was 56.63 per cent (57.21 a year ago) or 31.307 BCM against the 55.288 BCM capacity. The storage in Andhra was 72 per cent, but it was below 45 per cent in Telangana. In Karnataka and Kerala,the level was below 60 per cent and in Tamil Nadu it was 62 per cent.
In the northern region, the level in the 11 reservoirs was 60 per cent or 11.960 BCM of the 19.836 capacity BCM. The storage in Rajasthan was 77 per cent and in Punjab and Himachal, it was 69 per cent and 52 per cent, respectively.
The 27 reservoirs in the eastern region were filled to 62 per cent of the 21.759 BCM capacity at 13.490 BCM. Meghalaya’s lone reservoir was filled to 97 per cent, while the storage in Assam was 26 per cent and 40 per cent Mizoram. The level in Bihar and West Bengal was lower than 45 per cent, while it was above 65 per cent in Odisha.
With the IMD forecasting no rain over the next two weeks, the storage will likely drop further.
Published on February 12, 2026