Chandigarh: The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has urged Punjab, Haryana and other partner states to increase the utilisation of water from the Bhakra Dam for irrigation during the ongoing paddy transplantation season, citing significantly higher reservoir levels and the likelihood of further inflows from snowmelt and the approaching monsoon.
The decision was taken during a meeting of the BBMB’s Technical Committee held at the board’s headquarters in Chandigarh. During the meeting, officials reviewed the current water position in the Bhakra reservoir and assessed projections of additional inflows expected from Himalayan snowmelt and seasonal rainfall in the coming weeks.
The board advised participating states to make optimum use of the available water resources to support agricultural activities and manage reservoir storage efficiently ahead of the monsoon.
According to official data, the water level in the Bhakra Dam stood at 1,578.07 feet on June 9, which is 21.47 feet higher than the 1,556.60 feet recorded on the same date last year. The current level is also substantially above the long-term average of 1,543.72 feet for this period.
BBMB officials said the live storage in the reservoir has reached 31 per cent of its capacity. In comparison, the live storage stood at 22 per cent during the corresponding period last year and the long-term average is around 18 per cent.
Officials noted that the reservoir is currently about 102 feet below its full reservoir level. However, with substantial inflows anticipated during the monsoon season, maintaining adequate vacant storage capacity is considered essential. To achieve this, states have been encouraged to increase water withdrawal and utilisation, particularly for irrigation purposes.
BBMB officials said the present water availability is expected to provide significant relief to the agriculture sector and ensure an adequate supply of irrigation water for farmers undertaking paddy transplantation across the region.
The improved reservoir position comes as Punjab and Haryana enter a crucial phase of the kharif season, when demand for irrigation water rises sharply due to large-scale paddy cultivation.
