Reservoir levels recover, but water storage remains below normal

India's reservoirs have improved, but water storage remains low in certain regions, according to Central Water Commission data. While most reservoirs in western, central and eastern India are above normal levels, northern and southern regions still lag significantly. As of September 10, national water storage was at 130.55 BCM, or 70.66% of capacity, 6.9% below normal and 20.1% lower than last year.

The western region has the highest storage at 81.79% of capacity, while the southern region holds only 54.52%. The central and eastern regions are marginally above their normal levels. This uneven recovery matters for food prices, with water availability crucial for rabi crops as food inflation remains high. Sudhir Panwar, a farm policy expert, notes that southern regions with heavy reliance on reservoirs face concern, while regions with adequate irrigation may not face major issues.

The improvement in reservoirs is due to recent monsoon rains, though overall rainfall for the season remains below normal. This could support hydropower generation, which also fell year-on-year during April-August. However, the improvement may be short-lived as the monsoon retreats and the lean period for hydro generation begins.