Jayakwadi Dam's Rising Levels Offer Hope for Marathwada's Drought Crisis

In a major relief for the drought-prone Marathwada region, the water levels in Jayakwadi Dam have significantly increased, raising hopes of resolving water scarcity in the area. Continuous heavy rainfall in the Nashik district over the past three days has caused the Godavari River to flood, resulting in a substantial inflow of water into the dam’s catchment area.

According to officials, as of Tuesday, 53,334 cusecs of water were recorded entering the dam, boosting the water storage to 60.71% of its total capacity. The water level now stands at 1,514 feet, with a total storage of 2,056.083 Dalghmi (thousand million cubic feet). Of this, the usable or live storage accounts for 1,317.977 Dalghmi. Since June 1, the dam has received approximately 22 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water.

Notably, on the same date last year, the dam had only 4.06% water storage remaining, highlighting a drastic improvement in water availability this year.

Jayakwadi Expected to Reach Full Capacity Once Again

Jayakwadi Dam has been filled to 100% in four of the past five years — in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and now, 2024 looks promising as well. The exception was 2023, when water levels reached only 47.23%. If current inflows continue, the dam is expected to reach full capacity soon.

This will bring tremendous relief to five districts in Marathwada, including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and parts of Ahilyanagar district, by addressing critical needs such as drinking water, irrigation, and industrial supply for the coming year.

Meanwhile, the flooding of the Godavari River has triggered a flood alert for villages located along its banks. Local authorities are keeping a close watch on the situation and have initiated precautionary measures to ensure the safety of residents.