Maharashtra's Dams Are Fuller Than Last Year. So Why Are Residents Being Asked To Conserve Water?

Last Updated:April 23, 2026, 13:24 IST

CM Fadnavis has directed departments to enforce strict water management measures and implement conservation plans immediately, so that drinking water needs remain protected.

Maharashtra may have more water in its dams than it did a year ago — but Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is not taking any chances. He has urged citizens and government departments to use water carefully, warning that El Niño could disrupt the upcoming monsoon and trigger water stress across the state. The government, he said, must begin precautionary planning now to ensure adequate drinking water supply through August 2026.

Where Does Maharashtra Stand Today?

The state currently holds 653.63 TMC of usable water stock across its dams — 101.77 TMC more than the same period last year, when storage stood at 551.86 TMC. While the current position is better than 2025, officials cautioned that the improvement should not lead to complacency given the El Niño threat on the horizon.

What Is El Niño And Why Should Maharashtra Worry?

Additional Chief Secretary of the Water Resources Department, Deepak Kapoor, made a presentation before the cabinet on reservoir levels and the potential impact of El Niño on rainfall patterns. Officials pointed to historical data from previous El Niño years to underline the risk:

• Reservoir storage fell by nearly 12 per cent in 2014 and around 14 per cent in 2015, resulting in severe water scarcity across several regions

• On October 15, 2014, the state had 872 TMC water stock, which dropped sharply to 625 TMC on the same date in 2015

• In comparison, Maharashtra had a much stronger storage of 1,330.97 TMC on October 15, 2025, which has since reduced to 653.63 TMC as of April 21, 2026

What Has The CM Directed?

Fadnavis on Tuesday directed departments to enforce strict water management measures and implement conservation plans immediately, so that drinking water needs remain protected even if rainfall falls below normal this year.

How Are Different Regions Placed? A Division-Wise Breakdown

According to figures presented at the cabinet meeting, water storage across Maharashtra’s divisions is as follows:

• Nagpur division (387 dams): 80.71 TMC, up from 63.40 TMC last year

• Amravati division (276 dams): 73.72 TMC, up from 65.93 TMC last year

• Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division (929 dams): 129.37 TMC, significantly higher than 97.09 TMC last year

• Nashik division (531 dams): 101.96 TMC, up from 89.28 TMC last year

• Pune division (724 dams): 206.55 TMC, up from 174.04 TMC last year — the highest among all divisions

• Konkan division (173 dams): 61.24 TMC, slightly lower than last year’s 62.12 TMC — the only division showing a dip

Key Reservoirs: Current Levels

Among Maharashtra’s major reservoirs, current storage levels are as follows:

• Jayakwadi: 42.03 TMC

• Koyna: 33.62 TMC

• Pench Project Group: 26.57 TMC

• Gosikhurd: 14.31 TMC

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