Central Water Commission (CWC) reports water storage in 166 reservoirs falls below 40 per cent

Key facts

• The Central Water Commission (CWC) monitors the live storage of 166 reservoirs in India with a total live storage capacity of 183.565 billion cubic meters (BCM).
• According to the CWC bulletin dated April 30, 2026, the available live storage in these reservoirs is 71.082 BCM, which is 38.72 per cent of their total capacity.
• Reservoir levels have decreased compared to last year in eight states: Assam, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, and West Bengal.
• The Barak basin in the northeastern region is the most vulnerable river basin, recording a deficit of approximately 24 per cent from normal storage levels.
• Nine major reservoirs have fallen below 50 per cent of normal levels, including Khandong in Assam, Chandan Dam in Jharkhand, Tattahalla in Karnataka, Periyar in Kerala, and Vaigai in Tamil Nadu.