K-P gets modern water management system

Indus Telemetry automates process of monitoring water flow in canals

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) takes a giant leap forward in water management with the installation of Indus Telemetry, an advanced technology suit designed for automatic and real-time flow data acquisition.

The system is a cutting-edge technological solution that automates the process of monitoring water flow in canals in the province.

This technological intervention will serve as a game-changer for water management in K-P, setting a benchmark for other provinces to follow.

According to a statement, Indus Telemetry has been installed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) under the USAID Water Management for Enhanced Productivity activity.

A ceremony for formal handing over of the technology to the K-P irrigation department will be held on June 12, the statement added.

The initiative will help transform how water is monitored, managed and reported across the province's critical irrigation canals.

The new system has automated and digitised the entire process, making K-P the first province in Pakistan to deploy a state-of-the-art telemetry system on all its main canals.

This advancement ensures that the data collected is accurate, reliable and validated. With Indus Telemetry, the irrigation department can now access real-time information on water flow in its main canals.

The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) is the technical partner for this endeavor. The system consists of both hardware and software components that work together seamlessly.

Automatic sensors are installed at strategic locations along the canals to measure water flow depth and velocity. This data is then transmitted via GSM technology to a secure cloud server, where it is processed and archived.

Relevant stakeholders can access real-time data and reports through an intuitive online dashboard. The system is currently installed at 11 major canals in K-P, including Upper Swat Canal, Tanda Irrigation Main Canal, Pehur High Level Canal, Warsak Gravity Canal, Lower Siran Canal, Kabul River Canal, Warsak Left Bank Canal, Warsak Gravity Canal, Pehur Main Canal, Lower Swat Canal, Warsak Lift Feeder Canal, Gomal Zam Main Canal and Khanpur Dam Left Bank Canal.

The canals are crucial for K-P's water distribution from the Indus River. The sensors are placed near the starting points of the canals to accurately measure the total volume of water diverted over time.

The introduction of Indus Telemetry marks a significant milestone for water management in Pakistan. The country’s previous attempts to implement a similar system in 2004 were unsuccessful.

However, Pakistan's National Water Policy 2018 re-emphasised the need for transparent and accountable water management, which Indus Telemetry now fulfills.

Before Indus Telemetry, the methods used by the K-P irrigation department for monitoring water flow were outdated and prone to errors. This capability allows for precise volumetric accounting of water withdrawals, essential for managing water resources during different crop seasons.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2024.