Water levels in major reservoirs of Andhra Pradesh are at the rock bottom following a poor south-west monsoon last year and also the lack of rains this month. According to the data provided by the state irrigation department, water levels in reservoirs are holding about 44 per cent less water than last year at the same time.
The total amount of water being held in 21 major reservoirs in the state is 363.217 tmc. Last year on June 30, the amount was 650.63 tmc. The capacity of these reservoirs is around 1436 tmc. The situation is not alarming yet. L. Narayan Reddy, engineer-in-chief, irrigation and CAD department, said that the water levels depended on how well the reservoirs were maintained. Scanty rainfall now and in the last part of the monsoon have contributed to the low water levels.
“Rainfall during the north-west monsoon of October and November last year was erratic and so the water in all the reservoirs in the state was used up,” Mr Narayan Reddy said. The south-west monsoon in June has been scanty, with there being a deficit of rain in North Coastal Andhra, Rayalseema, and North Telangana regions, while it was normal in South Coastal Andhra. However, South Telangana has received excess rainfall. The inflows in almost all the state reservoirs have been nil or meagre with the exception of the Godavari Delta System, which had an inflow of 1,5353 cusecs on Saturday.