Gujarat: Water storage in dams lower than 50%

GANDHINAGAR: A deficient monsoon has depleted water levels in dams of the state and water storage of dams is 47.54% of their total gross storage capacities, the Narmada and Water Resources,Water Supply and Kalpsar Department said on Wednesday.
Even as water levels in more than 200 dams and reservoirs in the state remain less than half of their total storage capacities, the state government has decided to supply water from dams to irrigate around 5 lakh hectares of land to prevent damage to standing crops.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday said the rainfall in Gujarat remains deficient, with a departure of -45% from the normal rainfall recorded so far. According to the IMD report, Gujarat has reported a departure of -45% from the normal rainfall between June 1 and August 10. As against the normal rainfall of 458.8mm for the period, the state has received only 252.7mm rainfall, the weather department stated.
Only five out of 207 dams are filled to the brim, and four of these are in Saurashtra region and one in south Gujarat,the government said on Wednesday.
As sowing has been completed on 75,73,106 hectares of land in the current Kharif season, the state government has decided to supply water from dams to the standing crops on 5 lakh hectares of land after securing drinking water supply till September 30, a state government release stated on Tuesday.
Of 33 districts of Gujarat, Aravalli and Gandhinagar have reported “large deficient” rainfall so far this season,while the remaining 31 have reported “deficient” rainfall, according to the IMD report.
According to the zone-wise data provided by the State Emergency Operation Centre, South Gujarat has received 36.39% of average annual rainfall, followed by east-central regions with 34.72%, Saurashtra with 33.8%, Kutch with 31.74% and the northern part of the state with 31.2%.