At 70%, India's water reserves hit 10-year low, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• Water storage in 178 reservoirs across India has reached 70% of total capacity, marking a 10-year low.
• This current level is significantly below the decadal average of 79.62% and also lower than the 79% recorded during the same period last year.
• The Central Water Commission (CWC) report, dated September 24, coincides with drought declarations in Maharashtra and Karnataka.
• South India, comprising Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, shows the lowest water reserves at 50% of capacity, a sharp decline from 87.25% last year, due to a 23% rainfall deficit.
• India has received 12% less rainfall than normal as of September 28, with the El Niño phenomenon identified as a contributing factor.

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Detailed Insights:

• The Southwest Monsoon season, which typically accounts for over 70% of India's annual rainfall, is concluding on September 30.
• The low water levels in reservoirs have critical implications for agriculture, drinking water supply, and hydropower generation.
• Maharashtra has declared drought in 265 of its 358 tehsils, covering approximately 74% of the state, following an 18% rainfall deficit.
• Karnataka has also declared 177 taluks as drought-affected, with a central team scheduled to visit the state on October 3 for assessment.
• Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has expressed concern and stated that central teams will be dispatched to assess the drought situation in both Maharashtra and Karnataka.
• El Niño events are known to weaken the Southwest Monsoon winds, leading to reduced moisture transport and an increased risk of drought conditions in India.
• States experiencing water stress are being advised to plan their rabi crops based on available water and soil moisture, promoting less water-intensive cultivation.
• The CWC monitors 166 strategic reservoirs, which collectively represent about 71% of India's estimated total reservoir storage capacity of 257.812 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM).

Key Concepts Involved:

• Central Water Commission (CWC): India's apex technical organization under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, responsible for initiating, coordinating, and furthering schemes for water resource control, conservation, and utilization.
• Southwest Monsoon: The primary rainy season in India (June to September), vital for the country's agrarian economy, water security, and ecological balance.
• El Niño: A climate pattern characterized by the abnormal warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, often associated with suppressed monsoon rainfall in India.
• Decadal Average: A statistical measure representing the average value of a variable over a ten-year period, used to compare current data against historical trends.