Aurangabad: The present gap in rainfall coupled with an overall deficient monsoon run in Marathwada has resulted in relatively poorer storage in different key dams in Aurangabad and the region as compared to last year. Weather experts do no foresee a revival in the rainfall at least till September 18.While two major dams from the region have been showing zero live storage and a couple of others are left with single digit storage, Jayakwadi and other key dams have been showing considerably lower storage levels as compared to the last year.With rainfall being deficient in July and August, the eight districts in Marathwada have received an average of only 6mm rain in September as against the expected 177mm. Technically, Marathwada has not witnessed a single rainy day during the present month. The extended dry spell that started from the second half of last month has made farmers and others jittery.As per data available with the state Water Resources Department (WRD), the Majalgaon major irrigation project in Beed district and Sina Kolegaon major irrigation project in Osmanabad district have zero per cent live storage presently. Both these dams had around 33% live storage during the corresponding period last year.The Manjra major irrigation project in Beed and Yeldari dam in Hingoli have just 3% and 9% live storage. These two major reservoirs had 49% and 5% live stock last year. The Jayakwadi major irrigation project, which is the lifeline of Marathwada, has a stagnant 47% live storage as against a considerable 82% live storage last year. Among other dams, the Siddeshwar major irrigation project in Hingoli district has 28% live storage as compared to 40% during the previous year, whereas Lower Terna in Osmanabad has 39% live stock as against 60% last year. The Lower Dudhna project (25%) in Parbhani presently has half the live storage that was registered last year.The cumulative live storage in 45 major irrigation projects in Marathwada was 33% by Saturday as compared to 57% at the same time last year. The medium projects (81) were showing 24% collective live storage as compared to 40% last year. The 838 minor projects in the region have a collective 29% live storage as compared to 26% last year.Shriniwas Aundhkar, director of the city-based APJ Abdul Kalam Astro Space and Science Centre, said the dry spell could get extended up to September 18. The El Nino effect has proved a dampener during the second half of the rainy season. While it was expected that the dry spell would end by now, it is most likely to get prolonged by more than a week, he said.A senior WRD official said hopes of revival of water storages in different dams in Marathwada are pinned on good showers during the return phase of the monsoon. “Due to the extended dry spell, available water will be provided in a judicious manner. We are still hopeful of getting good showers in October, he said.

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