An Indian Army man rescuing a stranded woman in Ahmedabad on Saturday. (Express Photo)As many as 14 dams completely filled, 21 on high alert, and over 750 million cubic meters (MCM) of water added in 120 hours; Gujarat’s water worry due to delayed monsoon turned into a high-stakes flood watch Saturday even as the state is still in a deficit regarding overall water storage as compared to July 2025.According to data from the State Water Resources Department, of the 14 reservoirs that brimmed to 100 per cent capacity, eight are in South Gujarat.Major schemes like Damanganga are maintaining a delicate balance, discharging 53,000 cusecs directly into river channels after swallowing an inflow of over 55,300 cusecs. In Navsari, both the Jhuj and Kelia dams stand at 100 per cent filling, releasing a controlled spillage downstream.Saurashtra’s water grid has also seen a rise from 39.14 per cent to 46.39 per cent capacity within 120 hours (since July 20). In Morbi district, the Machchhu-II dam hit Full Reservoir Level at 100 per cent, forcing the release of over 18,500 cusecs of overflow downstream. Bhavnagar’s massive Shetrunji reservoir also remains completely filled, discharging its full inflow of 15,340 cusecs downstream. Wanakbori in Mahisagar and Lakhigram in Surat are also 100 per cent full.On Saturday afternoon, one of the three open gates of the Aji-2 Dam located near Rajkot Taluka was closed as the inflow decreased.Meanwhile, the state’s lifeline – the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Narmada – holds a steady buffer at 128.25 meters on Saturday, holding 6,521 MCM (68.93 per cent of gross storage). The reservoir is currently absorbing a steady average inflow of 25,739 cusecs while maintaining a controlled release of over 3,500 cusecs through the Canal Head Powerhouse.Gross storage compared to 2025However, despite the flood situation and swift increase in levels in the past week, the statewide storage still lags behind the same period last year. Total gross storage across all regional schemes sits at 1,669.79 MCM, which is lower than the figure recorded on July 25, 2025. In the 206 schemes across the regions, the current storage is 7,080.42 MCM compared to 9,650.28 MCM last year, representing a deficit of 2,569.86 MCM.Story continues below this adAlso Read | Rain havoc continues in South Gujarat: Woman killed in landslide in Valsad, 2 men swept away in NavsariIn fact, 13 schemes in South Gujarat, despite the floods, are in a deficit of 1,268 MCM as compared to July 25, 2025. Saurashtra stands at 492.85 MCM, lower than last year’s level, while Central and North Gujarat show deficits of 373.76 MCM and 331.20 MCM, respectively. Kutch holds 103.52 MCM less water than on July 25, 2025.Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... 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