ISLAMABAD: On Monday, Tarbela Dam, the country’s second-largest reservoir, achieved its full conservation capacity, with total live storage surpassing 11 million acre feet (MAF) and nearing its maximum capacity of 13.35 MAF.
The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) announced that Tarbela Dam reached its maximum conservation level of 1,550 feet above sea level, holding 5.766 MAF of usable water. This development is seen as a positive sign for both irrigated agriculture and the generation of green, clean, and affordable hydropower in the country.
In contrast, Mangla Dam, the largest water reservoir in Pakistan, is approximately 30 feet short of its maximum storage level. As of Monday, Mangla Dam’s conservation level was about 1,214 feet, with a maximum elevation of 1,242 feet. The usable water at Mangla stood at around 5.18 MAF, against its maximum storage capacity of approximately 7.3 MAF.
Since April 1, about 6.5 MAF of water has flowed into the Arabian Sea, exceeding Tarbela Dam’s total storage capacity. Under the 1991 water apportionment accord, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) and Wapda are required to ensure a minimum flow of 8 MAF downstream of the Kotri Barrage for environmental purposes.
On Monday, Irsa reported total river flows of 417,000 cusecs at rim stations, with approximately 380,400 cusecs released into the irrigation system, leaving about 47,000 cusecs for storage in Mangla and Tarbela dams.
The Indus River was flowing at 256,400 cusecs at Tarbela Dam, with total outflows of 235,000 cusecs. The Kabul River at Nowshera recorded flows of 66,400 cusecs, while the Jhelum River at Mangla Dam flowed at 25,800 cusecs against outflows of 10,000 cusecs. At Marala Headworks, the Chenab River was flowing at 62,700 cusecs.
The federal flood commission also reported a medium flood in the Indus River at the Taunsa-Sukkur reach and a low flood in the Tarbela-Chashma reach, with the Kabul River in low flood at Nowshera.
