Monsoon is in its last stages, although reservoir water storage levels are still below average
Even as the monsoon approached its last phase, the total live storage in the 150 reservoirs throughout the nation that the Central Water Commission (CWC) monitors has fallen below average. Even less water is stored this year than there was last. It is thought that the average storage during the last 10 years is typical.
Despite the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) forecast for a typical monsoon this year, the nation is still 10% underfunded. August came to a close as the driest month in 122 years. In as many as ten subdivisions, the rainfall has been much below average, particularly in major portions of the Indo-Gangetic plains, which include eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
In addition to being essential for supplying hydroelectric power plants, the water kept in reservoirs also makes it easier to irrigate land when it rains seldom. Of the 150 reservoirs, up to 20 are used for hydroelectric projects. Currently, these reservoirs have 117.699 BCM of total live storage available, or 66% of their complete live storage capacity. Live storage for the equivalent time in these reservoirs was 153.086 BCM last year, while the average for the previous ten years was 133.177 BCM.
The extra rains have improved storage in Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, and Telangana compared to previous year. Himachal Pradesh was wracked by floods and had 20% more rain than normal this season. Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, however, have much less storage than they had last year. In Kerala, the rainfall deficit has reached -41%.
DELAY IN WITHDRAWAL IS POSSIBLE
When the monsoon starts to leave Rajasthan’s western region (Jaisalmer and Bikaner) around September 17th, the four-month-long rainy season comes to an end. The monsoon totally departs by October 15 after taking roughly a month to finish the process. The monsoon is still present in the area this year, so the retreat will probably start later than normal.
Off the northern coast of Odisha and West Bengal, a well defined low-pressure area (LPA) has developed over the northwest Bay of Bengal. It is anticipated that the monsoon will continue to provide extensive rainfall to western and central India until September 18. “As the low-pressure system advances westward over the next several days, it will deliver heavy rains to Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, east Rajasthan, and even Gujarat. Accordingly, the circumstances for the monsoon’s retreat won’t arise until this system evaporates, which might take a few more days, according to Mahesh Palawat, vice president of meteorology at Skymet.
AS PER IMD, ABOVE-NORMAL RAINS TILL SEPT. 27
The meteorological service has forecast above-average rainfall throughout the nation until September 27 and says that monsoon activity will intensify over the following two weeks.
After September 21, another cyclonic circulation is anticipated to emerge over east-central Bay of Bengal, which is likely to proceed west-northwestwards towards north Bay of Bengal and deliver rainfall over the central area. This circulation will likely form after the present low-pressure system fades.
A new Western Disturbance is forecast to hit northwest India on Friday night and deliver sporadic rainfall to the area in the north.
