Karajkheda storage tank in Dharashiv district remains dry despite monsoon nearly over
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar : Marathwada’s water situation has turned increasingly grim after an underwhelming monsoon, with medium and minor irrigation projects across the region left with just 24% and 17% storage, respectively. Average reservoir stock currently stands at 20%, raising concerns over water availability for the next eight months. Of the region’s remaining major irrigation projects, just four (Lower Dudhana in Parbhani, Manjra in Beed and Lower Terna and Sina-Kolegaon in Dharashiv) have less than 25% storage, with Sina-Kolegaon still in dead storage, official data showed. A senior official from Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation (GMIDC) said canal advisory committees would finalise water planning for major dams by Oct 15. The region’s rainfall deficit for Sept has widened to 58%, while the cumulative monsoon shortfall since June 1 has reached 33%, the official data showed.
Reservations for other uses will be reviewed based on local conditions,” the official said. The lone exception is Jayakwadi dam in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, which overflowed this season following heavy rainfall in its upstream catchments in Nashik and Ahilyanagar districts. The broader picture, however, remains worrying. With little prospect of significant rainfall in the coming weeks and fears of an El Niño-driven dry spell proving accurate, authorities face the difficult task of managing limited water resources till the next monsoon. The regional administration has already earmarked reservoir water primarily for drinking purposes. “The priority will be ensuring drinking water supply till the next monsoon. Meanwhile, the recent deep depression over the Bay of Bengal failed to bring relief to Marathwada.