Tarbela Dam reaches its peak capacity

Attains a level of 1,550 feet above sea level

TARBELA:

The mega water reservoir of Tarbela Dam reached its peak capacity, attaining a level of 1,550 feet above sea level on Friday.

This has led to the accumulation of 5.809 million acre-feet (MAF) of water in the dam, which bodes well for the future prospects of the agricultural sector and hydropower generation in Pakistan. Tarbela Dam has significantly contributed to Pakistan's progress by support agricultural activities, managing flood situations, and delivering cost-effective hydroelectric power.

The Tarbela Reservoir has a live water storage capacity of 5.809 MAF with an installed capacity of 4,888 megawatts (MW), which will further increase to 6,418 MW after the completion of the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project. According to the hydrological data, the water inflow at Nowshehra in the Kabul River stood at 40,900 cusecs.

At Khairabad Bridge, the water inflow reached 222,700 cusecs, mirroring an outflow of 222,700 cusecs. At Jhelum River at Mangla, the inflow amounted to 31,500 cusecs, with an outflow of 10,000 cusecs. Lastly, the Chenab River at Marala exhibited an inflow of 83,200 cusecs and an outflow of 54,300 cusecs.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2023..