Has Gujarat’s Water Storage Really Jumped to 46% Amid Heavy Rainfall?

Ahmedabad, June 29 (NationPress) The monsoon has made a powerful entrance into Gujarat, greatly enhancing the state's water reserves and shattering a decade-old rainfall record in Ahmedabad. Currently, the average water level across Gujarat's 206 reservoirs has surged to 46.21 per cent, a notable increase from 38.24 per cent on the same date last year.

Thirteen reservoirs in the state have reached full capacity, while 18 are under high alert due to ongoing inflows.

Saurashtra stands out with 10 reservoirs at maximum capacity, alongside one each from Central Gujarat, South Gujarat, and Kutch. The Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam—a vital resource for Gujarat—has experienced a remarkable inflow of water from upstream Madhya Pradesh, recording 54,032 cusecs. The current water level is 118.08 meters, with a maximum capacity of 138.68 meters.

This situation has enabled the functioning of two important hydropower units, CHPH-1 and RBPH-4, generating significant revenue for the state. Additionally, 12,200 cusecs of water are being released into the dam’s main canal to aid both irrigation and drinking water supplies.

The current storage in the Sardar Sarovar is 16.4650 million cubic meters, accounting for approximately 49.28 per cent of its total capacity.

Among the reservoirs that are at full capacity are: Dhatarwadi-Surjawadi (Amreli), Rojki-Bogad (Bhavnagar), Goma-Bhimad (Botad), Kali (Dahod), Vagodia (Jamnagar), Kalaghogha (Kutch), Vansal-Lim, Bhogavo, Subri (Surendranagar), and Doswada (Tapi).

Statewide, 31 reservoirs are between 70 per cent to 100 per cent full, 35 are at 50 per cent to 70 per cent, while 59 are between 25 per cent to 50 per cent.

However, 68 reservoirs remain below 25 per cent capacity, emphasizing the necessity for continued rainfall in specific regions.

Ahmedabad has recorded its highest June rainfall in over ten years, with the district receiving 25 per cent of its seasonal total—a significant increase from just 4.74 per cent by the same date last year. The city itself has experienced an average of 8 inches, representing 27 per cent of its annual monsoon average of 32 inches (based on 1995-2024 data).

A week earlier, Ahmedabad had only received 16 per cent of its seasonal quota. This figure has now increased by 10 per cent in just a week. Last year, at this time, the city had seen merely 5 per cent of its anticipated monsoon rainfall, making this year’s increase five times greater.

Among the district’s talukas, Dhandhuka leads with 10.92 inches of rain, or 37 per cent of its seasonal total. Dholka and Dholera follow closely with over 30 per cent rainfall—8.62 and 8.18 inches respectively, while Sanand lags behind with the lowest at 13.21 per cent.