Pench Project Water Storage at 47.85%: NMC Requests 190 MCM
Nagpur's water resources are critically low, prompting the NMC to seek 190 million cubic meters for upcoming needs.
Pench project's dams hold only 47.85% of their designed capacity.
NMC requests the same water allocation as last year amid anticipated shortages.
Insufficient water availability rules out Rabi irrigation for the 2026-27 season.
In a concerning development for Nagpur, the Pench project dams are currently at just 47.85% of their designed live storage capacity, prompting the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to request 190 million cubic meters (MCM) of water until August 31, 2027. This request was made during the annual water reservation meeting held on Friday, where officials expressed serious concerns about the potential for water scarcity in the coming months. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Water Resources Department (WRD), NMC, and other government agencies.
The WRD's preliminary assessment indicates that the three dams of the Pench project—Totladoh, Navegaon Khairi, and Khindsi—held a combined live storage of 603.66 MCM as of October 16, significantly below the designed capacity of 1,261.67 MCM. Specifically, Totladoh had 446.48 MCM (43.90% of its capacity), Navegaon Khairi had 100.32 MCM (70.78%), and Khindsi held 56.86 MCM (55.20%). This low storage level raises alarms for the upcoming Rabi irrigation season, as officials have indicated that there will not be enough water to support it.
The assessment also takes into account the expected effects of El Niño, which could further impact water availability. Of the 228.20 MCM reserved annually for non-irrigation purposes, including domestic and industrial needs, 28.76 MCM has already been utilized by mid-October. The remaining demand is projected to be 199.44 MCM, with evaporation losses estimated at 104 MCM and an emergency reserve of 50 MCM factored in. Additionally, a mandatory carryover buffer of 60.37 MCM is required under a recent government resolution.
Given the current water status, only about 0.17 MCM would be left after meeting all essential requirements, making Rabi irrigation highly unlikely. The district collector will consult with the WRD to make a final decision regarding Rabi irrigation, but the outlook remains grim as the water resources are stretched thin.
As the situation develops, the NMC and WRD will continue to monitor water levels closely. The implications for Nagpur's residents are significant, as drinking water and industrial needs take precedence over agricultural irrigation. The upcoming months will be critical in determining how the city manages its water resources amidst these challenges.
