WAPDA to enhance Hub Dam’s storage capacity

Will also set up a small hydroelectric power project at the dam

LAHORE: The Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has decided to enhance the storage capacity of Hub Dam in order to meet growing water requirement of the country.

The decision was taken in a meeting presided over by Wapda Chairman Lieutenant General (Retired) Muzammil Hussain and attended by members of the authority, according to a statement issued on Wednesday.

The higher storage capacity of the dam is expected to provide greater benefits, particularly to Sindh and Balochistan. In the meeting, it was decided that Wapda would regain Hub Dam’s lost storage capacity of about 49,000 acre feet of water by removing sediment deposits in the reservoir.



“Live storage capacity of the reservoir will be enhanced by removing the material deposits lying between the dead storage level (276 feet) and the normal conservation level (339 feet) along the reservoir periphery,” the statement said.

Hub Dam was constructed in 1981 across the Hub River, some 56 km northeast of Karachi. The project was designed to supply 102 million gallons of water per day (MGD) to Sindh and 59 MGD to Balochistan.

At the time of its completion, the live water storage capacity of the dam was 760,000 acre feet, which has now dropped to 646,000 acre feet.

Hub Dam has also the potential to generate hydroelectric power. According to its concept paper, 1.4 megawatts of electricity can be generated from the dam by installing two power production units of 0.7MW each with annual generation of 5.85 million units of electricity.

The electricity generated through the dam can be provided to institutions and households located in the vicinity of the project. Therefore, Wapda has decided to implement the hydroelectric power project at the dam.



Relevant offices have been directed to prepare feasibility study, detailed engineering design and tender documents for the purpose.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2018.

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