Storage in 11 river basins better this year

New Delhi, May 1 (UNI) The storage position in 11 major river basins in the country including Ganga, Narmada, Godavari, Krishna and Mahanadi was better than the last 10 year average while the storage in Cauvery was close to normal this year as on April 26.

This was the observation of the Central Water Commission which monitors the storage of 76 major reservoirs in the country, including 31 reservations which have significant hydro-power generation capacity exceeding 60 MW each. The combined live storage in these reservoirs during the current wateryear stood at 32 per cent of these dams' designed capacity and 110 per cent of last year's storage.

An official release said the storages in the basins of Indus, Tapi, Mahi, Sabarmati, a Rivers of Kutch were better than last year during the period.

Out of 31 reservoirs with significant hydro-potential nine reservoirs had built up less than the 10 year average while Kangsabati dam in West Bengal had a negative storage ie less than the minimum drawal level.

The CWC provides the storage information in the major dams in the country to Department of Agriculture for helping to evolve suitable crop strategies. UNI MCN YA KP1916