ISLAMABAD: In Pakistan’s rivers, water flows have alarmingly declined up to 50 percent just during the period of first 20 days of the current month of October. The country is feared to face water paucity of up to 30 percent during the ongoing kharif season on account of the huge decline in the rivers’ flows.
According to the water flows data as of today (Monday) available with The News, the water flows in rivers have drastically tumbled from 9 to 50 percent. The water flows in Indus river was reduced by 9 percent to 31,000 cusecs per day from 35,000 cusecs, in Chenab by 15 percent to 10,000 cusecs from 12,000 cusecs, in Jehlum by 35 percent from 11,500 cusecs to just 6,000 cusecs and in Kabul river, by 50 percent to just 4,000 cusecs from 8,000 cusecs per day in these days.
So much so, the situation of the water level in dams is also very upsetting as the existing water stored both in Tarbela and Mangla dams is also reasonably less than that of the last year’s stored water. The data unveils that Tarbela currently has the water of 2.8 MAF against 3.9 MAF in the same period last year showing the shortage of 1.1 MAF. Likewise, in the same corresponding period, Mangla had stored water of 4.1 MAF in it which now stands at 3.4 MAF showing the deficit of 0.9 MAF.
“We had anticipated water flows of 3.54 million acre feet (MAF) in the country’s rivers during period of 1-20 October, but flows have further declined by 15 percent to 2.9 MAF if compared with the anticipated flows worked out for Kharif season,” said spokesman of Indus River System Authority (Irsa). “However, flows have been reduced by 21 percent in rivers if compared with the last 10 years’ average flows that stood at 3.7 MAF,” he said.
The unexpected mammoth, he said, decline in water lows have compelled the water regulator to review in the first week of next month of November its water availability projections that were earlier worked out on September 29, 2017 for the ongoing Kharif season with more water shortage in the country.
The Kharif season starts from October 1 and ends by March 31. However, the official sources in the regulator disclosed that the water paucity is feared to surge up to 30 percent for the ongoing Kharif season.
In the first week of November, the provinces, IRSA members, Wapda officials would put their heads together to come up with new water availability projection with water shortage in the range of 25-30 percent.
The Met Office has also predicted the below average rains in October, November and December owing to which the stored water in dams is feared to reach the dead level in February one month earlier as it is supposed to be consumed by March 31.
Sources said that Irsa has sensitised provinces about the upcoming worsening situation and Punjab and Sindh have made their plans to make sure availability of water for wheat sowing. Both the provinces have placed cut in their water releases from the dams. Sindh has reduced its water releases from Tarbela dam by 15,000 cusecs to 40,000 cusecs per day from 55,000 cusecs.
Punjab has drastically reduced its water releases by 53,000 cusecs per day to just 7,000 cusecs from 60,000 cusecs per day. Punjab is having water intake of 6,000 cusecs in Thal canal and 1000 cusecs in CRBC. Punjab has closed down its all releases from Mangla dam to ensure the water availability in the month of November for wheat sowing.
“Both the federating units deem current the 10-15 days is a lean period which is why they have strategically closed down their canals,” said the sources. Advisory committee of Ira that met on September 29 had also recommended to the government that more dams be built on war footing basis to increase the water availability in the country.