Depleting reservoirs need water to prevent crop loss

LAHORE: Major reservoirs are depleting fast and rains need to pick up if they are to have enough water to prevent a drop in output of major crops such as strategic wheat crop, a senior government official said on Monday.

He said water shortage for crops has intensified to alarming level following dip in inflows of major rivers as both main reserviours are about to reach rock-bottom in the next few days amid last watering of wheat crop.

Around 0.4 million acre feet of (MAF) water has left in Tarbela and Mangla Dams out of their full capacity of approximately 14 MAF, while there has been drastic reduction in inflows of all main rivers to just 53,800 cusecs against 77,600 cusecs average of last ten years.

The inflow at Mangla Dam at River Jhelum on Monday was just 9,700 cusecs, which is lowest level recorded since 2008. Inflow of River Indus at Tarbela reduced to 23,300 cusecs, which is fourth lowest inflows registered in the same period. Similarly, the inflow recorded at River Chenab at Head Marala was 10,900 cusecs, which is a third lowest flow since 2010.

The official said the reduction of river water flows in the last few days put a question mark on growth of standing crops. “The flows of water in last week suddenly reduced much more than our expectations,” he added.

“Water will be released from both reserviours as per requirement till March 10 for ensuring maximum supply to all canals in Punjab and Sindh provinces. Wheat crop is at the grain formation and pre-maturity stage which is very crucial as far as output is concerned.”

After consuming all the stored water, the official said, it is feared that water level of Tarbela and Mangla Dams would touch dead level keeping in view persistently lesser river inflows. “Given no availability of stored water for irrigation purposes after exhausting all the storage at Tarbela and Mangla Dams, we will have to depend on only available quantum of inflows given low water availability for irrigation purposes for meeting our irrigation needs,” he added.

The only good news is possibility of couple of rain spells this week that may help in provision of much needed moisture for plants. The rainfall is also likely to cause modest increase in river flows for a day or two, official said. Met Office informed that Westerly weather system is likely to enter Pakistan during next 24 hours and likely to persist till Saturday.

Under the influence of this weather system, rain/thunderstorm with gusty winds expected with intervals at scattered places in Khyber Pakhtonkhaw, FATA, Islamabad and upper Punjab from Thursday to Saturday, while isolated rain-thunderstorm with gusty winds also expected at a few places on Tuesday/Wednesday.

Rain/thunderstorm is expected at scattered places in Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir during Wednesday to Saturday. Rain/thunderstorm is also expected at isolated places in Quetta, Zhob, Kalat, D.G.Khan, Multan, Sahiwal divisions on Tuesday/Wednesday.

To a query about likelihood of increase in river flows, the official said, river flows could only increase as per demand of water in agricultural plains “if snow melting starts in the catchment area.” “This much-required phenomena have yet to start as maximum temperatures are well below 20C in upper parts of the country,” he said.