Use of modern technology urged to store floodwater

LAHORE: Pakistan should use modern technology to store floodwater in plains to meet requirements of irrigation and drinking and recharge groundwater, an expert said.

Khalid Jafri, a California-based engineer of Pakistani origin termed water shortage as one of the biggest challenges facing the country.

“It is an existential threat for the country,” Jafri said. “We need to expedite work on water storing dams with a view to increasing availability of water for drinking, irrigation and other purposes.”

Jafri worked with the state of California, helping it with water preservation by lining the canals and building reservoirs that hold water during the rainy season. He was also involved in California’s energy projects like wind, solar and thermal energy.

He is a member of the Farm Bureau of California and has an access to all agriculture related research and development in universities and research facilities.

“Special measures should be taken on urgent basis for reviving dwindling water table,” he said. “The role of apex judiciary and present government is in right direction and should be followed in letter and spirit.”

Jafri said Pakistan should harness river water abundantly available during rainy season while storing it in specially-built small reservoirs along rivers in plains.

Such reservoirs having storage capacity of about 50,000 acres feet of floodwater, drawn from main river through gravity based flows, can irrigate crops in summer season and provide nearby population with drinking water round-the-year besides recharging groundwater.

“We need to build scores of these reservoirs on both sides of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers,” the engineer said. “The cost of building these reservoirs are negligible especially if compared with its benefits.”

Jafri said the country should construct 100 such reservoirs along rivers for storing floodwater. Through management techniques, silt can be minimised in these reservoirs while accumulated silt can be removed with the help of latest affordable technology.

“These reservoirs can lead to gradually increase water storage capacity in plains where water requirement used to touch peaks in summer season,” he added. “Provincial governments can start work on these water bodies in order to utilise their respective floodwater share under 1991 Water Apportionment Accord.”

The expert floated an idea of drilling holes in lakes of barrages for directly injecting water into aquifer. “Latest technology enables us to recharge water by digging specially designed wells in water bodies that would substantially contribute in recharging groundwater,” he said. “Unfortunately, nothing concrete is being done to monitor groundwater that is depleting at fast pace.”

Jafri’s brothers, all Aitchisonians of 50s and 60s offer their services and experience in different fields of engineering and technology for the betterment of the country’s future. By way of background, all four brothers graduated from University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore. Amjad is a civil engineer, Sajid is mechanical, Jafri electrical, and Vajid civil/environmental.

Jafri owns and operates more than 200 acres of agriculture farmland in California. In 1995, the then president of Pakistan Farooq Leghari visited the farms and asked him to bring high-yielding seeds for field crops and orchards to Pakistan.

In line with the request, 100 tons each of high-yielding wheat and potato seeds were shipped to Pakistan from California. Also 20,000 high-yielding sugarcane plants were shipped from New Orleans. All expenses were borne by Jafri brothers to help the agriculture-based economy.

Jafri said he and his brothers look forward to help Pakistan solve the challenges faced by the country, such as high rate of unemployment, construction of low cost houses, water shortage, lack of clean drinking water, shortage of energy, primary and middle school education for all children, women empowerment education in villages, basic health facilities at the village level, public health facilities, including roads, sewage system, water, electricity and gas in villages.

“We can help farmers get higher yields from their crops and get the best price in the market for their crops.”