Additional 225 billion cubic metre rainwater storage capacity created

An additional 225 billion cubic metre of rainwater storage capacity has been created in the country to replenish the rapidly decling water table in the country.

Every Monsoon brings 4,000 billion cubic metres (BCM) of rainwater to India, which after evaporation and drainage, leaves 1869 BCM of water. However, the topographic, hydrological and other factors reduce the utilisable quantity to around 1123 BCM of which around 690 BCM is surface water and 430 BCM is the actual available, replenishable ground water resource, with the rest draining in to the sea.

As the depletion of ground water affects cropping, individual states have initiated measures to developand manage their water resources through creating storages, rain water harvesting, artificial recharge to ground water, restoration of water bodies, and adoption of better management.

According to the current assessment, the total estimated storage capacity of the various projects currently under construction is about 64 BCM with another with a potential 108 BCM capacity under investigation and planning.

State governments are respponsible for planning and implementing surface and ground water storage schemes, with central assistance from the centre through schemes and programmes such as accelerated irrigation benefit programme (AIBP), command area development and water management (CADWM) programme, national project for repair, renovation and restoration of water bodies directly linked to agriculture.

The ministry of water resources initiated a national level pilot project to undertake repair, renovation and restoration of water bodies directly linked to agriculture in 2005 to restore and augment storage capacity of water bodies and also to recover their lost irrigation potential. Such schemes have also been taken up with World Bank assistance in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Proposal from West Bengal and Orissa have also been forwarded by the department of economic affairs to the World Bank.

Tehr irrigation component of Bharat Nirman envisages creation of irrigation potential of 10 million hectare through major and medium irrigation projects as well as minor irrigation schemes. At present 166 major, 222 medium and 89 ERM projects are reported to be ongoing in various states. Government of India provide support to State Governments through AIBP and other schemes.

Storage of important reservoirs in the country
The Central Water Commission (CWC), which monitors the storage position of 81 important reservoirs in the country,  has reported that the combined live storage in these 81 reservoirs stood at 21 per cent of the designed capacity as on 29 May 2008, which just before the last Monsoons was 25 per cent. It said that the present storage was 92 per cent of the last year's storage and 140 per cent of last 10 years average storage during the same period. Out of these 81 reservoirs there are presently 19 reservoirs where this year's storage is 80 per cent or less than the average of previous 10 years and in the remaining 62 reservoirs the storage is more than 80 per cent of the average of previous 10 years.

In order to derive the best possible benefits from the available water, CWC has been coordinating with the department of agriculture and co-operation and providing information of the weekly storage position to the crop weather watch group for evolving suitable crop strategies.

According to CWC, the storage position as on 29th May 2008  for the 10 basins - Ganga, Tapi, Mahi, Sabarmati, Narmada, rivers of Kutch, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery and neighbouring east flowing Rivers and west flowing rivers of South is better than average of previous 10 years.

It said that the Mahanadi and neighbouring east flowing rivers were close to normal while Indus was flowing deficient. Out of 36 reservoirs with significant hydro potential, 14 reservoirs have storage build up less than the average of last 10 years capacity.