Major reservoirs hit dead level: IRSA

Current rains fail to raise water levels

ISLAMABAD: The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) revealed on Friday that the country’s major water reservoirs hit their dead level.

While talking to The Express Tribune, IRSA spokesperson Rana Khalid said two major water reservoirs - Tarbela Dam and Mangla Dam - have reached their dead level after a passage of four years.

While sharing details, he said water level at the Tarbela Dam was recorded at 1,383 feet and at Mangla Dam 1,046 feet.

“If the current situation prevails and we receive no rainfall in the near future then water shortage is likely to affect the early production of Kharif crop,” he said. “Now we are waiting for the temperature to rise so that glaciers will melt and help increase the water level in reservoirs.”



While talking to The Express Tribune, former head of the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency Asif Shuja said such a situation has arisen due to the impact of climate change.

He said that it is expected that the current water scarcity may cause shortfall in power generation, affect agriculture and ultimately cause further decline in the ground water level.

Pakistan has alternative resources for power generation but they are costly, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2017.