Archive · 28 Aug 2026
India’s Reservoir Storage Rises as Monsoon Rains Revive
India’s reservoirs received more water after monsoon rains became stronger.
Their average storage rose to about 68% of capacity.
This was better than the previous week, when storage was just over 64%.
However, the reservoirs still had less water than at the same time last year.
They also held slightly less water than the average for the past 10 years.
Southern and northern India had particularly low storage levels.
Central India had rainfall close to normal, which helped reservoirs in the western region.
Overall, the monsoon was still below its normal rainfall level.
Reservoir storage across India rose to about 68% of capacity on Thursday, up from over 64% a week earlier.
Storage in 166 major dams remained 18% below year-ago levels and 3.74% below the 10-year average.
Southern India’s 47 major dams held 57.34% of combined capacity, but levels were more than 28% below last year.
Overall monsoon rainfall was 13% below normal, with the largest deficit in east and northeast India at 27%.
Western India’s 53 major dams were above 80% of capacity, supported by adequate rainfall in central India.
- Who
- The Central Water Commission reported storage levels in India’s 166 major dams.
- What
- Reservoir storage rose to about 68% of combined capacity, although it remained below year-ago and 10-year-average levels.
- When
- The figures were reported on Thursday in the commission’s weekly bulletin, compared with the previous week and historical averages.
- Where
- Across India, including northern, southern, central, eastern, northeastern and western regions.
- Why
- Storage increased after monsoon rains revived, but regional rainfall deficits continued to hold levels below earlier years and long-term averages.
- Current storage
- About 68% of combined capacity across the country’s major reservoirs.
- Weekly change
- Storage rose from over 64% a week earlier.
- Year-on-year comparison
- Storage was 18% below year-ago levels across 166 major dams.
- Long-term comparison
- Storage was 3.74% below the 10-year average.
- Overall monsoon rainfall
- 13% below normal as of Thursday.
- Southern region
- The 47 major dams held 57.34% of combined capacity, 28% below last year and about 13% below the 10-year average.
- Western region
- Storage in 53 major dams covering Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra was above 80% of combined capacity.