Thirsty farms, slowing turbines: how depleting dams threaten power, harvest
Mint - Economy · Published 11 November 2026 · Last updated
Depleted reservoirs are curbing irrigation and hydropower, jeopardising the rabi harvest and winter electricity supply across India.
Key points
- India’s 178 major reservoirs are 27% lower than a year ago, holding only 121.9 bcm of water, Central Water Commission data shows.
- In the southern region, reservoir storage fell to 42.6% of capacity, down from 89.97% last year, the steepest regional drop.
- Rabi sowing by 6 Nov covered 11.7 million ha, 2.43 million ha less than the same date in 2025, according to the agriculture ministry.
- Wheat acreage slipped 12% to 1.97 million ha, rice fell 3.10% to 673,000 ha, and pulses dropped 14.4% to 3.2 million ha.
- Hydropower generation is threatened: Gobind Sagar dam is at 56.87% of full reservoir level, versus 85.09% last year, NHPC former MD says.
- Maharashtra announced a ₹7,500‑crore drought‑relief package, including ₹5,000 crore for eligible farmers, late October.
- Former NHPC chief Raj Kumar Chaudhary warns that lower river discharge will cut run‑of‑the‑river hydro output and exacerbate winter power gaps.
- Farm policy expert Sudhir Panwar cautions that low reservoir levels in the west and south could restrict irrigation for wheat, paddy, pulses and oilseeds during critical growth stages.
Background
- India’s southwest monsoon in 2026 delivered only 87% of the 50‑year average, the fourth‑lowest since 2001, per the India Meteorological Department.
- The World Meteorological Organization warned in September that the 2026 El Niño could be unprecedented, raising Pacific temperatures by 3.8 °C and prolonging drought conditions.
- Historically, reservoir‑based hydropower (20 projects) has been overseen by the Central Water Commission to balance irrigation, power and municipal needs.
- Since the 1990s, the Indian government has relied on monsoon‑dependent reservoirs for rabi crop irrigation, making water storage a critical food‑security lever.
- Previous drought declarations in six states this year have already prompted state‑level relief schemes, highlighting the recurring vulnerability of rain‑fed agriculture.
Prelims facts and Mains angle for this issue are in the full SWAदेSH note.
Original report: Mint - Economy