Water Stock in Dams and Reservoirs Stands at Just 46.5 Percent

30-Mar-2026 01:59 PM

New Delhi. The water levels in 166 major dams and reservoirs across the country are declining rapidly and continuously, posing a matter of grave concern for the agricultural sector. The drop in water levels is attributed to a lack of rainfall in most parts of the country combined with rising temperatures.

Data from the Central Water Commission reveals that only 85.432 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM) of water stock remains in the 166 major reservoirs, representing merely 46.5 percent of their total storage capacity. However, this water level is 10.5 percent higher than that of the previous year and 21 percent higher than the ten-year average.

Relative to total storage capacity, the water stock in the Northern region has dropped to 8.845 BCM, or 44.6 percent. This region comprises Punjab, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh. Similarly, in the Eastern region,

the water level has fallen to 10.349 BCM, or 47.6 percent. This region includes Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and the seven states of the Northeast. In Assam, specifically, the water level has plummeted to a critically alarming low.