Jabalpur’s Bargi Dam faces worst water shortage:15-year record broken as poor rainfall sharply reduces reservoir storage levels

The delayed arrival of the monsoon and extremely low rainfall during June have begun taking a visible toll on reservoirs in Jabalpur, with the city’s lifeline, Bargi Dam, witnessing a continuous decline in water levels. Water levels have also started falling in the Pariyat and Khandari reservoirs. According to Bargi Dam authorities, the reservoir’s water level is dropping by nearly 5 centimetres every day. The shortage of water has also affected hydropower generation. One of the dam’s two power generation units has been shut down, while the second unit is operating for limited hours. Worst situation in 15 years According to the Bargi Dam management, the reservoir’s water level stood at 407.85 metres on June 15 but has now fallen to 407.45 metres, marking a decline of nearly 40 centimetres. The dam currently holds only 12.59% of its storage capacity. During the same period last year, water storage was around 22%. Officials say this is the worst water situation witnessed at the dam during June in the last 15 years. Jabalpur records only 1.5 inches of rain in June Under normal conditions, Jabalpur receives nearly 8 inches of rainfall by June 30. This year, however, the city has recorded only about 1.5 inches of rain so far. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the northern limit of the monsoon is currently around Mandla and is expected to advance further in the coming days. Power generation reduced due to low water levels The declining water level has significantly impacted electricity generation at the dam. One of Bargi Dam’s two hydropower units has remained shut since June 27, while the second unit, which earlier operated for 8 to 10 hours daily, is now being run for only three hours a day. Experts: Water won’t flow even if all gates are opened Experts say the reservoir’s water level has fallen so low that even if all 21 gates of the dam are opened, no water would flow out. A section of the reservoir has already dried up, and residents have started visiting the site to witness the unusual condition. Delayed monsoon breaks 15-year trend Meteorological records show that this year’s monsoon has arrived later than usual. Previously, the monsoon became active on June 29 in 2009 and June 28 in 2019, while in 2013 and 2021, it reached the region as early as June 11. Drinking water and irrigation may face crisis Water from the Narmada River, stored in Bargi Dam, supplies drinking water to Jabalpur and several other cities. The dam’s canal network also irrigates farmland in Jabalpur and Narsinghpur, while there are plans to extend water supply to Katni and Satna in the future. Experts warn that if substantial rainfall does not occur soon, both drinking water supply and irrigation could face a serious crisis in the coming months. Residents visit drying dam Jabalpur resident Akash Koshtha said he visited Bargi Dam after hearing reports that it was drying up. He said the water level had receded considerably, exposing rocky stretches along several ghats of the Narmada River. The river also appeared shallower and murkier than before. El Niño may be contributing to rainfall deficit Meteorologists believe the El Niño weather phenomenon is also contributing to the below-normal rainfall this year. They warn that if July does not receive adequate rainfall, several reservoirs across Madhya Pradesh could face a severe water shortage, affecting hydropower generation, irrigation, and drinking water supply.