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Surface Water Availability

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Peculiarities of Water Availability in India

  • Highly Uneven in Space and Time

  • Nearly 80% of the annual rainfall takes place in only 3 to 4 months

  • Brahmaputra - Barak - Ganga System accounts for about 60% of total surface water resources 

  • Western and Southern regions experience severe deficit in water availability

  • Drought - Flood - Drought Syndrome is witnessed years after years

 

India's Per Capita Annual Water Availability (cu.m/capita/year) 

The Past   

  Future Projections 

  • 1951 - 5177

  • 2001 - 1820

  • 2025 - 1341

  • 2050 - 1140

 

As per international criterion, less than 1700 (cu.m / capita / year ) is considered as water stressed. Large part of India will become water stressed by 2025.

 

Surface Water Resources Potential of River Basins (km3) of India

Water Availability 1991

Water Availability 2025

Water Availability 2050

Water Availability Cultivated Areas

S. N.

Name of the River Basin

Average annual potential in the river

As per NCIWRD (1999)

 1.

Indus (Area in Indian Territory)

73.31

73.31

 2.

a) Ganga

525.02

525.02

b) Brahmaputra, Barak, and others

585.60

677.41

 3.

Godavari

110.54

110.54

 4.

Krishna

78.12

69.81

 5.

Cauvery

21.36

21.36

 6.

Pennar

6.32

6.32

 7.

East flowing and rivers from Mahanadi to Godavari and Krishna to Pennar

22.52

22.52

 8.

East flowing rivers between Pennar and Kanyakumari

16.46

16.6

 9.

Mahanadi

66.88

66.88

10.

Brahmani & Baitarani

28.48

28.48

11.

Subarnarekha

12.37

12.37

12.

Sabarmati

3.81

3.81

13.

Mahi

11.02

11.02

14.

West flowing rivers of Kutch & Saurashtra including Luni

15.10

15.10

15.

Narmada

45.64

45.64

16.

Tapi

14.88

14.88

17.

West flowing rivers from Tapi to Tadri

87.41

87.41

18.

West flowing rivers from Tadri to Kanyakumari

113.53

113.53

19.

Area of inland drainage in Rajasthan desert

Negligible

Negligible

20.

Minor rivers draining to Myanmar (Burma) & Bangladesh

31.00

31.00

Total

1869.00

1952.8