CHANDIGARH: Water levels in the Bhakra, Pong, and Pandoh dams are significantly lower this year compared to the same period last year owing to a deficient monsoon.
Even though July is the peak recharge month for the Himalayan river systems, these dams continue to receive significantly below normal inflows.
This deficit has raised concerns over reservoir storage ahead of the post-monsoon period, as irrigation water to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan is supplied from it, besides hydroelectric power is also generated.
Bhakra Dam one of the country’s largest reservoirs and the lifeline of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. As per the latest data released by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), the dam received an inflow of only 36,866 cusecs on Tuesday against 77,741 cusecs on the corresponding day last year.
The reservoir level stood at 1,587.12 feet, nearly 17 feet below last year's level and over 12 feet below the long-term average. The live storage was only 2 billion cubic metres (BCM), leaving the reservoir just 35 per cent full, compared with 44 per cent on the same date last year.
The inflow was also well below the long-term average of 51,019 cusecs, indicating the weak monsoon over the Sutlej catchment in Himachal Pradesh and the adjoining Himalayan regions.
The cumulative inflow into Bhakra between May 21 and July 22 stood at 15.46 lakh cusecs (3.78 BCM) against 22.16 lakh cusecs (5.42 BCM) during the corresponding period last year and a long-term average of 23.30 lakh cusecs (5.70 BCM).
Thus, the reservoir has received nearly one-third less water than normal during the crucial filling season. The water level in the reservoir is also low as the Sutlej River received lesser snow melt this year.
The snow in catchment areas of Sutlej was just 2 BCM against the average of 4 BCM. The situation is the same at the Pong Dam, which has received cumulative inflows of only 5.93 lakh cusecs (1.45 BCM) since May 21 compared with 13.56 lakh cusecs (3.32 BCM) during the corresponding period last year.
It recorded an inflow of just 22,546 cusecs, less than half of the 55,444 cusecs received on the corresponding day last year.
The reservoir is presently only 32 per cent full, against 42 per cent last year. While at the Pandoh Dam the inflow was 22,546 cusecs, less than half of the 55,444 cusecs received on the corresponding day last year.
The only exception among the major reservoirs was the Ranjit Sagar Dam on the Ravi River, which received 43,898 cusecs of inflow yesterday, almost double the inflow recorded on the corresponding day last year.
However, even there, the reservoir level remains marginally below last year's mark. Meanwhile, hydrologists think July is traditionally the most important month for replenishing the reservoirs as the southwest monsoon reaches its peak over the western Himalayas.
However, this year rainfall over the upper catchments has remained erratic and below normal, resulting in subdued river flows despite isolated heavy showers.
With July almost complete, BBMB officials are closely monitoring rainfall across the Himalayan catchments.
