MC Daily Monsoon Tracker: Reservoir levels remain 18% above normal on surplus rainfall

Reservoir levels stay 18 percent above normal

India’s reservoir capacity stayed at 18 percent above the 10-year average as of September 5, as the country continued to experience surplus rainfall, according to data released by the India Meteorological Department.

The reservoir levels in the southern region were 34 percent above normal, as six of the eight states and Union Territories continued to receive excess rainfall.

Karnataka, which witnessed massive gains in kharif sowing, had 23 percent higher water levels in reservoirs than normal.

Gujarat, another state to witness significant gains in sowing, recorded 29 percent higher reservoir levels than the previous year. Reservoir levels in Punjab were 58 percent below normal, while Himachal Pradesh had a 23 percent deficit.

In the case of pulses, Karnataka had higher coverage than Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, while it pipped Uttar Pradesh as the third-largest producer of coarse cereals.

Sowing during the Kharif season was just 0.8 percent below the average area sown over the last five years (2018-23), as of September 2 and was 1.8 percent higher than the previous year’s season.

India’s rainfall surplus has remained above 7 percent since the start of the month. According to data released by IMD, it was a high 7.4 percent on September 8.

Around 14 of the 36 states and Union Territories experienced excess rainfall, while eight were deficient.

Bihar and Manipur had the highest rainfall deficits of 26 percent and 31 percent. Punjab’s deficit narrowed to 24 percent.