India’s 178 major reservoirs monitored by the Central Water Commission (CWC) held 123.228 billion cubic metres (BCM) of water on October 22, 2026, down by 3.489 BCM from a week earlier. Storage declined to 66.70% of the combined live capacity of 184.762 BCM, compared with 68.58% on October 15. The regional disparity is particularly pronounced in southern India, where 50 monitored reservoirs held just 42.34% of capacity, against 89.35% at the same time last year and a 10-year average of 77.94%. Several reservoirs in Tamil Nadu and Telangana are at low levels, while Maharashtra’s Marathwada region faces acute local stress, with Manjra Dam at 7.74% of live capacity, Lower Dudhna at 15.97% and Lower Terna at 19.43%. Although Maharashtra’s overall reservoir storage stood at approximately 80.4%, the state has declared drought in parts of the region. The figures highlight the uneven distribution of water availability across India and the importance of region-specific water management, conservation and contingency planning as reservoir storage declines.
Source: Vedax News Desk