Groundwater largely stable despite 19% monsoon rainfall deficit

India's southwest monsoon rainfall is 19% below normal so far in 2026.

The agriculture ministry's Crop Weather Watch Group (CWWG) reports groundwater reserves largely stable despite the deficit.

% of 9,085 monitored groundwater wells show normal water levels; only 12.2% show groundwater drought.

% of monitored wells have water levels within 10 metres below ground level; only 4% are deeper than 40 metres.

Experts note that the true impact on groundwater will appear with a lag of several months, dependent on rainfall distribution.