Nashik Faces Water Crisis as Dams Dry Up Amid Low Rainfall and Heatwave

Nashik grapples with a severe drought scenario as water reserves in key dams plummet to unprecedented depths. The combination of scant rainfall in the previous year and a relentless heatwave since April 2024 has further intensified the crisis.

In Nashik's rural regions, the water crisis is hitting hard. Approximately 325 villages and 824 padas (hamlets) are now dependent on water delivered by tankers. In response, the government has taken steps, acquiring 49 wells for direct village utilization and an additional 136 wells to facilitate water tanker operations.

The latest update on the Gangapur dam complex shows that water storage is at just 24.48% of capacity. This is a significant drop from the 33.45% storage level recorded at the same time last year. 

Temperatures in the region have been soaring, reaching about 40 degrees Celsius for more than a week. This extreme heat has led to increased evaporation, further depleting water reserves. 

Additionally, four to five minor dams that supply water to the district have also seen their levels drop dramatically, now holding only 1% to zero of their capacity. This has caused severe water scarcity across the rural areas of Nashik.

Efforts are ongoing to manage the crisis, but the combination of low rainfall, high temperatures, and dwindling water reserves is creating a challenging situation for the region.

Water Stock in District Dams in MCFt : 

Dam            2023     2024
Ozarkhed    594        00
Punegoan    133       00
Tisgoan         52        01
Bhojapur       72       00
Nagasakya    22       00
Manikpunj    00      00