JAIPUR: Except the Kota Barrage dam, which is almost 90% filled, majority of the dams in Rajasthan need a good monsoon this year. Bisalpur dam catering to the drinking water needs of Tonk, Jaipur and Ajmer is barely 27% filled. The Met office stated that the south west monsoon is likely to enter the state by June 18 and the pre-monsoon activity will begin from June 12.
TOI on Thursday spoke to the authorities of hydrology department and those looking after the dams in the state and found that majority of the dams desperately need a good monsoon this year.
“Against the full capacity of 1095.84 cusec meter the present storage at the dam is 298.13 which means it is presently 27.21 % filled. A good rainfall in its catchment area is needed as this dam gives drinking water to Ajmer, Tonk and Jaipur,” said an officer with the hydrology department while quoting the figures of the present storage at the dams.
At Kota, the Kota barrage is 111.39 cusec meter filled against its full capacity of 112.06 cusec meter. “Last year majority of the dams got a good monsoon which resulted in its filling upto 80 percent. Dams in Kota were 100 % filled and we had to open its 11 gates. Likewise Mahi dam too was 100 percent filled last year,” the officer added.
However, this year Mahi dam is merely 47 % filled. “The usage of water, evaporation are the factors that deplete water level at the dams. This year as of now we have drinking water in the dams upto mid-July. But prior to that a good opening of monsoon which is expected on June 18 can rejuvenate the dams and other reservoirs in the state,” the officer added. Some of the dams in the state have storage as low as 20 % so far.
