Water levels in southern state reservoirs are depleting

Water levels in southern state reservoirs are depleting

As the sweltering heatwave sweeps the country, water levels in reservoirs in the southern states are fast depleting. 

Of the 31 major reservoirs in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the water available is just 253.55 tmcft, which is 14% of the total live storage capacity as on March 31, against the capacity of 1,821.88 tmcft.

The storage of the corresponding period last year was 17% of the total live storage capacity. 

The average storage of the past 10 years during the corresponding period was 27% of the live storage capacity of these reservoirs. 

"Thus, the storage in the current year is less than the same period last year and is also less than the average storage of the last 10 years during the corresponding period," said a report from the Central Water Commission. Though water storage is depleting fast in north Indian states too, live storage is better than the last year, except in Himachal Pradesh, it said.