Water level in key reservoirs 78.481 bcm as of Thursday, 42.75% of capacity
This story was originally published at 09:40 IST on 21 April 2026
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MUMBAI – The water level in 166 key reservoirs of the country was 78.481 billion cubic metres as of Thursday, down from 82.070 billion cubic metres recorded on Apr. 9, data from the Central Water Commission showed. The water level as of Thursday accounted for 42.75% of the total live storage capacity, up 16.25% from a year ago and 27.2?ove the average storage over the past 10 years, the data showed.
Four of the five regions in the country recorded a fall in water levels from the previous week, while the northern region recorded a rise on-week. The water level in reservoirs in the northern region, which includes Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab, was 8.808 billion cubic metres as of Thursday, slightly above 8.703 billion cubic metres recorded on Apr. 9. The water level as of Thursday was 44.4% of the total live capacity. In the same period last year, the water level was 23.13% of the total capacity.
During Apr. 9–15, northwest India received 4.6 millimetres of rainfall, which was 39?low normal, data from the India Meteorological Department showed. However, rainfall in three of the nine subdivisions in the region was 'large excess' during the same period, which offset the deficient rainfall recorded by other subdivisions, pushing water levels in north India slightly above the previous week's level.
The water level in reservoirs in the eastern region was 8.566 billion cubic metres, or 39.37% of the total live storage capacity, compared with 33.06% a year ago. The region comprises Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha, Tripura, Nagaland, West Bengal, and Bihar.
Reservoirs in the western region held 19.552 billion cubic metres, or 51.33% of the total live storage capacity of 53 reservoirs in the region, up from 42.26% a year ago. The western region includes Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa.
In the central region, which includes Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Chhattisgarh, the water level in reservoirs was 24.098 billion cubic metres. As of Thursday, the water level was 49.6% of the total live storage capacity, compared with 42.77% a year ago.
The water level in the southern region was 17.457 billion cubic metres, or 31.57% of the total live storage capacity of the 47 reservoirs in the region, the data showed. This region includes Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. At this time last year, the water level was 26% of the total live storage capacity, lower than the current level.
As of Thursday, 69 out of 166 reservoirs across the country had water levels which were 40% and below the total live storage capacity, the data showed. One reservoir in east India was at full capacity, while four reservoirs had water levels at 91–99%. Six reservoirs recorded water levels at 81–90% of the total capacity, 13 reservoirs at 71–80%, 15 at 61–70%, 29 reservoirs at 51–60% and another 29 at 41-50% of the total capacity.
India received an average rainfall of 4.5 millimetres in the week ended Apr. 15, 46?low the normal of 8.3 millimetres for the period, according to the weather department. End
Reported by Shreya Shetty
Edited by Tanima Banerjee
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