With 92% of the area receiving normal or excess monsoon rainfall so far, water level at 91 large reservoirs across the country continues to rise. According to data released by Central Water Commission (CWC) on Thursday, the water level at 91 large reservoirs rose for fifth week in a row to 54% of their combined capacity. A week back the water reservoirs were filled up to 47% of their capacity.
“The overall storage position is better than the corresponding period of last year in the country as a whole but is less than the average storage of last ten years during the corresponding period,” CWC said in a statement. However, only reservoirs in western and southern regions have water level more than last year while for the rest of regions, the water table in the reservoirs have been just below the last year’s level.
Meanwhile, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said that monsoon rains have been 15% above the benchmark Long Period Average (LPA) for the week ending on Wednesday.
According to IMD, the quantum of rainfall during June 1-August 11 has been more than 469 mm, which is 3% more than the benchmark. Till now, 31% of the country’s area has got ‘excess’ rainfall while 61% have received ‘normal’ rainfall. Only 8% of the areas have received deficient rainfall. With the exception of Punjab, Kerala and Assam where rainfall has been ‘deficient’, most of the regions across the country has so far received ‘normal’ or ‘excess’ monsoon rainfall in the country.
Earlier in the month, IMD stated that rainfall during second half (August – September) would be ‘above normal’ at 107% of LPA, with a model error of ± 8%.The met department also reiterated its June’s forecast by stating that overall rainfall during monsoon season (June-September) will be 106% of LPA which is set to give huge boost to kharif agricultural activities following two successive years of ‘deficient’ monsoon (2014 & 2015). The kharif crops – rice, oilseeds, pulses and cotton sowing have been 7% more than the corresponding period last year.
Kharif sowing till last week has so far surpassed last year’s sowing by more than 5% so far. With the exception of sowing of cotton which is down by more than 8%, all the key kharif crops cultivation have exceeded last year’s figure. Especially pulses have been sown in close 35% more areas compared to the previous year.