Bhandara District Faces Imminent Water Crisis as Reservoir and Lake Levels Drop

Bhandara: The water level of four medium projects, 31 small projects, and 28 Malgujari lakes in the district has reached half. With the onset of the harsh summer in April, most of the lakes have receded and the water level in the major projects has dropped. This will lead to a water crisis in the coming days. At present, the water storage is at 39.793 percent. Last year, the storage was at 43.240 percent.

Also Read | Airoli Residents Protest Against 5-Hour Power Outages in Mumbai's Sweltering Heat

The lowest water storage in the Bhandara district is in the Bagheda reservoir at 35.324. The highest water storage is in the Sorna reservoir at 55.222 percent. The level of all four reservoirs is 48.464 percent. The number of small projects is 31. These include Kurmada, Kavalewada, Pavanarkhari, Ambagad, Paraswada, Dongarla, Karli (T. Tumsar), Nagthana Tanga, Hiwara (T. Mohadi), Amgaon, Mandangaon, Dodmajhari, Malipar, Chikhalpahela, Ravanwadi, Silli Ambadi (T. Bhandara), Wahi, Bhivkhidki, Katturdi, Pilandri (T. Pavani), Shivnibandh, Kumbhali, Gudhri (Sakoli), Salebardi (Lakhandur), Bhugaon Mendha, Murmadi Hamesha, Rengepar Kotha, Nyaharwani, Wakal, Khurshipar (Taluka Lakhni) are among the 31 small projects and have water storage of 34.872 percent. 

Considering all these reservoirs, the storage in Kurmada, Pavanarkhari, Paraswada, Tanga, Hiwara, Dodmazari, Chikhalpahela, Ravanwadi, and Kumbhali reservoirs has dropped drastically and is below 30 percent. About 13 projects have water storage between 50 percent.

Depletion in water storage in all four medium projects
Bhandara district has four medium projects namely Chandpur, Bagheda, Betkar Bothli, and Sorna. At present, all four projects have 20.750 percent usable water storage. On the same date last year, live storage was 19.512 percent. 

Very little water storage in lakes
The number of old lakes is 28. As of today, the water storage in 13 of the 28 lakes has dropped below 25 percent. There is only a small water stock left in the Ekodi, Pathri, Savarbandha, Lawari, Umri, Sangadi, and Kesalwada lakes. The lake's water stock is on the verge of running out before the onset of intense summer. The unseasonal rains from time to time have partially added to the water stock.