Water storage in four Pune dams is 26.29%; Kharif sowing almost complete

As per the statistics department data the districts in western Maharashtra mainly Pune, Solapur and Satara have received 100 per cent of June’s average rainfall

The water level in the four dams in the city has improved to 26.29 per cent till July 9, as monsoon continues to spread in the state, said officials of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) water department.

The total water in four dams as of July 9 is 7.66 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet or 26.29% of the total storage capacity, while during the same period last year it was 9.21 TMC or 31.59 % of the total capacity. (Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)

The four dams include Khadakwasla, Panshet, Warasgaon and Temghar.

As per the statistics department data the districts in western Maharashtra mainly Pune, Solapur and Satara have received 100 per cent of June’s average rainfall. While Kolhapur and Satara districts have received 75 per cent to 100 per cent of average rainfall in June.

The total water in four dams as of July 9 is 7.66 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet or 26.29% of the total storage capacity, while during the same period last year it was 9.21 TMC or 31.59 % of the total capacity.

VP Patil, executive engineer, Khadakwasla reservoir, said, “As it is raining in catchment areas, the water level in Khadakwasla reservoir is improving. Also, almost all the city dams have more water than the previous year.”

According to officials of the statistics department of agriculture sowing of Kharif crops is also almost complete.

The Kharif crops in western Maharashtra include sugarcane, rice, pearl millet or bajra, maize, moong, groundnut, soya bean, sunflower and finger millet.

Maharashtra has a total 141.99 lakh hectors area under Kharif crops other than sugarcane. The sugarcane crop area is 151.34 hectors.

Till June end the sowing was completed on 89.51 per cent area which is 63.04 per cent of the total area.

According to officials as rains continue, the rest of the sowing was completed in the first week of July, but the figures are not updated yet.

During last year many parts of Maharashtra faced a flood-like situation so the officials of the irrigation department are taking enough care for dam storage management to avoid a similar situation this year.