Declining storage levels in reservoirs a worry for farm sector

Though India’s fields and farms are fed by various irrigation sources, almost 50 per cent of the country’s net cultivated area depends on rainfall.

The key water sources, including underground aquifers, lakes, rivers and reservoirs get replenished only through monsoon rains.

But, after two consecutive below-normal monsoons in 2017 and 2018, forecasters are again predicting below-normal or near-normal rainfall for 2019.

We ran a check on the water levels across regions, to see what’s in store for the growth-starved farm sector this year.

While 50 per cent of the total area sown is monsoon-dependent, the remaining 50 per cent is irrigated from groundwater and surface water sources. Also, water levels in key reservoirs are receding fast. According to data from the Central Water Commission (CWC), water levels in key reservoirs have been declining since October 2018 — from 112 bcm (billion cubic metres), which is 70 per cent of the storage capacity of these reservoirs, to 42 bcm, about 26 per cent of capacity. However, the water levels are better than last year (37 bcm) and the average of last 10 years (41 bcm).

Declining water level

Of the 91 reservoirs monitored by the CWC, the western and southern regions have the highest number of reservoirs, 27 and 31 respectively, though the volume of water has declined sharply in the last six months. The reservoirs in the western region, which covers Gujarat and Maharashtra, were at 55 per cent total live storage capacity in October 2018 but, as of April 25, they are at 18 per cent capacity.

Reservoir levels have fallen from 66 per cent of capacity in October 2018 to 17 per cent now. This not only impacts irrigation needs but also drinking water, industrial cooling, power generation, and commercial and recreational fisheries.

Groundwater is not reliable either, as 54 per cent of the country’s groundwater is declining at a faster rate than it is getting replenished. For instance, in Tamil Nadu’s (Kancheepuram district), ground water was available at a depth of 2.8 metres in March 2018, but has receded to 4.8 metres — one has to dig nearly 2 metres deeper.

Rain-fed agriculture accounts for about 44 per cent of food production, according to Agriculture Ministry data.

The South-West (SW) monsoon provides nearly 80 per cent of the country’s rainfall between June and September, while the North-East (NE) monsoon is active from October to December (the southern regions receive most rains during the NE monsoon).

Making matters worse, the cost of diesel needed to power irrigation pumps (as the water level receded) rose, forcing farmers to borrow from non-formal financial institutions at high interest rates to keep farm operations running.

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