Telangana may receive 25 pc below-normal monsoon rainfall; reservoir storage remains critically low

Telangana is likely to receive nearly 25 per cent below-normal seasonal rainfall, according to the ECMWF outlook. With utilisable storage in Krishna and Godavari reservoirs at critically low levels, available water is expected to be sufficient mainly for drinking unless monsoon inflows improve.

Hyderabad: The Telangana government has said the State is likely to receive nearly 25 percent below-normal seasonal rainfall, citing the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) seasonal outlook.

Against this backdrop, water levels in reservoirs across River Krishna and Godavari basins present a grim picture. Water levels in most major, medium and minor irrigation reservoirs are at, or close to, their Minimum Draw Down Level (MDDL).
According to the government’s Contingency Plan for Vanakalam 2026, reservoirs in the Godavari basin have only 27.69 tmc ft of utilisable storage, while projects in the Krishna basin have just 14.81 tmc ft.

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At the current storage levels, the available water is sufficient mainly to meet drinking water requirements. The scope for providing irrigation from many reservoirs remains severely limited unless substantial inflows are received during the remaining monsoon period.

The outlook also indicates that both the Godavari and Krishna basins are likely to receive below-normal rainfall during the monsoon. As a result, inflows into reservoirs, tanks and other water bodies are expected to remain below normal.

Water levels in major irrigation projects on July 15

Project Gross Capacity (TMC) Present storage (TMC)

• Jurala 9.66 5.33
• Nagarjunasagar 312 137.86
• Nizam Sagar 17.80 6.54
• Sri Ram Sagar 80.5 15.05
• Yellampally 20.18 7.85