In a welcome development for the residents of Pune, water storage in all four reservoirs of the Khadakwasla dam chain—Temghar, Panshet, Varasgaon, and Khadakwasla—has begun to rise, thanks to heavy rainfall in the Western Ghats and dam catchment areas over the past two days.
According to the Water Resources Department, the increase in water levels began on May 25, marking an early start to the monsoon inflow, a rare occurrence compared to previous years. As of May 27, the total water storage in the Khadakwasla dam system has reached 5.74 TMC (thousand million cubic feet).
On May 26 alone, the water level increased by 28 MLD (million litres per day), providing significant relief to citizens concerned about water scarcity following an unusually hot summer. Notably, rainfall figures recorded include 16 mm in Khadakwasla, 99 mm in Panshet, 92 mm in Varasgaon, and 70 mm in Temghar.
Last year, all four dams were filled to 100% capacity. However, due to the intense heatwaves in March and April this year, water consumption rose considerably, prompting fears of a potential shortage. Typically, water levels start to rise only by mid-June, but this year's early rainfall has sparked optimism.
The combined storage capacity of the four dams is 29.50 TMC, and they play a crucial role in supplying water to Pune city and nearby areas, as well as supporting various irrigation schemes across the district.