Inflows into the Bhakra reservoir, the lifeline of Punjab, Haryana and several northern states, continue to remain significantly below the seasonal average, primarily due to reduced snowfall in the Sutlej catchment area and delayed snowmelt caused by persistent western disturbances.
According to the latest reservoir data released on June 11, inflows into the Bhakra Dam stood at 16,527 cusecs, nearly 50 per cent lower than the average inflow of 32,706 cusecs recorded during this period. The inflows were also substantially lower compared to 28,015 cusecs received on the corresponding day last year.
The cumulative inflows into Bhakra from May 21 to June 11 this year were recorded at 3,03,307 cusecs, against the average of 5,91,876 cusecs for the same period. In volumetric terms, cumulative inflows stood at 0.74 (Billion Cubic Meters) BCM, almost half of the average 1.45 BCM.
Officials and sources monitoring the hydrological situation attributed the decline largely to lesser snowfall in the Sutlej catchment area during the winter months.
Sources said that the average snowfall in the Sutlej catchment area is around 4 BCM, whereas only about 2.2 BCM snowfall was recorded during the last winter season, resulting in a considerably lower snow reserve available for melting during summer.
They further pointed towards the influence of repeated western disturbances, which kept temperatures in the high-altitude catchment areas below normal.
“The average temperature in the snow-bound regions of the Sutlej catchment has remained around 4 degrees Celsius. Normally, significant snowmelt begins when temperatures rise to around 6 to 8 degrees Celsius," sources said.
Weather forecasts indicate that the effect of western disturbances may continue for some more days, keeping temperatures in these areas relatively low. However, temperatures are expected to increase after June 21, which could accelerate the melting process and improve inflows into the Sutlej River system and subsequently into the Bhakra reservoir.
Despite lower inflows, the water level in the Bhakra reservoir remained higher than both last year and the long-term average. On June 11, the reservoir level was recorded at 1,576.65 feet, compared to 1,555.30 feet on the same date last year and an average level of 1,545.39 feet.
However, releases from Bhakra continued to exceed inflows. The dam released 23,163 cusecs on June 11 against inflows of 16,527 cusecs, resulting in a daily fall of 0.70 feet in the reservoir level due to start of paddy season in Punjab and Haryana.
The trend of below-average inflows was visible in other reservoirs as well. Pandoh Dam recorded inflows of 6,869 cusecs, significantly lower than the average of 12,069 cusecs. Similarly, Ranjit Sagar Dam received 4,854 cusecs, almost half of the average inflow of 9,755 cusecs. At Pong Dam, inflows stood at 2,129 cusecs, far below the average of 6,420 cusecs for this time of the year.
Water experts said that the coming fortnight would be crucial for the reservoir system as the onset of substantial snowmelt generally boosts river flows before the arrival of the monsoon.
The Bhakra Dam holds immense strategic importance for northern India, as its waters are distributed through an extensive canal network serving Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Delhi. The reservoir supports drinking water supplies, irrigation needs and power generation, making it a critical component of regional water security.
With temperatures expected to rise in the upper catchments later this month, authorities remain hopeful that inflows into the Sutlej and Bhakra reservoir will improve, easing concerns over water availability during the peak agricultural season.
