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Water Management – Institutional Reforms, Conservation Efforts, etc.

Reservoir Levels in India Decline 

Why in the News

The Central Water Commission (CWC) has reported that water storage in major reservoirs has fallen below 40 percent, with several river basins showing declining levels across India.

Key Findings

  • Total reservoirs monitored: 166
  • Current live storage: ~38.7 percent of capacity
  • Earlier (April 2026): ~44.7 percent
  • Decline observed across multiple regions

States with Declining Reservoir Levels

  • Assam, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, and West Bengal
    • Several reservoirs in these states are below 40 percent capacity

River Basins in Concern

  • Ganga Basin
  • Godavari Basin
  • Narmada Basin
  • Krishna Basin
  • Kaveri Basin
    •  Krishna basin particularly weak (~22 percent)

Worst Affected Regions

  • Northeast and Eastern India
  • Assam, Tripura, West Bengal show sharp depletion
  • Southern states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka also under stress

Important Data

  • Total live storage capacity: 183.565 BCM
  • Current storage: 71.082 BCM
  • About 20 reservoirs linked to hydropower

Key Concepts

  • Live Storage: Usable water available in reservoirs
  • Normal Storage: Average storage based on last 10 years
[2022] Consider the following pairs: 
Reservoirs: States 
1. Ghataprabha: Telangana 
2. Ghandhi Sagar: Madhya Pradesh 
3. Indira Sagar: Andhra Pradesh 
4. Maithon: Chhattisgarh 
How many pairs given above ate not correctly matched? 
[A] Only one pair [B] Only two pair [C] Only three pair [D] All four pair

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