In the search for the phone, more than two million liters of water were pumped from the reservoir, but when it was discovered, the waterlogged device would not turn on.
An Indian official was suspended after emptying a reservoir to find his phone.
The Times of India reported that food inspector Rajesh Vishwas lost his Samsung smartphone in the Kherkatta dam while taking a selfie.
He drained almost two million litres from the reservoir over three days to collect it.
The phone that had been submerged in water was recovered, but it would not turn on.
Mr. Vishwas initially requested that divers search for the phone, asserting that it contained confidential government information.
When they were unable to locate it, he requested that the reservoir be evacuated using diesel pumps.
Local media said that dam water could irrigate 1,500 acres.
Mr. Vishwas told reporters that a senior official let him drain the reservoir since the water was unfit for cultivation.
Mr. Vishwas was suspended after he received widespread criticism for squandering water resources.
India is one of the world’s most water-stressed nations, with crop losses, forest fires, and power outages resulting from severe water scarcity caused by extreme temperatures.
