India’s Reservoir Storage Plummets Below 70% Amid Rainfall Deficit

India’s water storage levels in its major reservoirs have fallen below 70% of total capacity, primarily due to a significant rainfall deficit. As of January 29, 2026, the Central Water Commission (CWC) reported that the storage level dropped to 68.83% of the overall capacity of 183.565 billion cubic meters (BCM), equating to 126.354 BCM. This decline comes in the wake of the country experiencing 23% less rainfall than average since the start of the year.

Despite this decrease, the current levels are notably higher compared to previous years. The storage level is 7.5 percentage points above the same time last year and 24 percentage points higher than the average of the last decade.

Regional Breakdown of Reservoir Storage

While overall storage is down, the situation varies significantly across India’s five regions. Four reservoirs are currently full, and 51 reservoirs report levels exceeding 80% of their capacity. The western zone stands out with storage above 80%, as its 53 reservoirs are filled to 80.3%, or 30.578 BCM of their 38.094 BCM capacity.

In contrast, the northern region’s 11 reservoirs are at 63% of their 19.836 BCM capacity, holding 12.57 BCM. The eastern region’s 27 reservoirs show storage at 66.48%, amounting to 14.466 BCM of a total 21.759 BCM capacity.

The central region’s 28 reservoirs have reported a level of 70.65%, totaling 34.324 BCM of their 48.588 BCM capacity. Meanwhile, the southern region’s 47 reservoirs hold 34.415 BCM of their total capacity of 55.288 BCM, reflecting the varied impacts of rainfall across the country.

As India prepares for the upcoming months, monitoring the situation in these reservoirs will be crucial for agricultural planning and water resource management, especially given the ongoing challenges posed by climate variability.