Tarbela Dam nears full capacity as water level reaches 1,549 feet

ISLAMABAD: In a positive development, the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) is set to fill the Tarbela Dam to its optimum level of 1,550 feet on Saturday (today). Currently, the dam’s water level stands at 1,549 feet, with a live storage of 5.708 million acre-feet (MAF).

After reaching 1,540 feet in the reservoir, one foot of water is added daily according to the standard operating procedures (SOPs). With the level now at 1,549 feet, the dam is close to being filled, an IRSA official told The News.

Interestingly, since April 1, 2024, IRSA has released 5.371 MAF of water downstream of Kotri Barrage to prevent sea intrusion into the fertile lands of Sindh. This quantity of released water nearly equals the current stored water in the Tarbela Dam. IRSA is required to release 10 MAF of water annually to stop sea intrusion, depending on water availability in the system.

Earlier, IRSA planned to fill both the Tarbela and Mangla dams by August 20, 2024. However, under the current circumstances, Tarbela will reach its full capacity on Saturday (today), three days ahead of the original deadline. Meanwhile, Mangla Dam may not reach its full level by August 20, 2024, due to insufficient inflows in the Jhelum River.

The total inflow in all rivers across the country currently stands at 555,900 cusecs, while the outflow is 489,500 cusecs per day. IRSA is supplying 354,400 cusecs of water to the four federating units, ensuring that there is no water deficit and that intended supplies are being met. Punjab is receiving 139,900 cusecs, Sindh 200,000 cusecs, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 2,500 cusecs, and Balochistan 12,000 cusecs per day.

As of Friday, the country’s live water storage stands at 10.780 MAF, including 5.708 MAF in Tarbela Dam, 0.007 MAF in Chashma Barrage, and 5.056 MAF in Mangla Dam. If Mangla Dam reaches 1,242 feet in the coming days, the total stored water in the country will reach 13 MAF. This ample water supply will meet the requirements for the upcoming Rabi season, which begins on October 1, 2024, ensuring sufficient water for wheat and other seasonal crops.