Demand and supply gap: Water shortage at barrages hits low point

Only half of Sindh’s water demands are being met, but the situation might improve soon.

SUKKUR: Water shortage across three principal barrages in Sindh is expected to reach alarming levels. Shortfall at Kotri Barrage currently stands at 77 per cent, while that at Guddu and Sukkur barrages at 73.8 per cent and 41.7 per cent, respectively. The province is currently receiving less than half of its water demand of 110,000 cusecs.  

Sukkur Barrage control room in charge Abdul Aziz Soomro told The Express Tribune that upstream at Guddu Barrage was recorded at 47,948 cusecs on Sunday, with downstream at 40,528 cusecs.

While the allocation of the barrage’s canals stood at 28,340 cusecs, only 7,420 cusecs of water was being released into them, contributing to the 73.8 per cent shortage. Begari Sindh Canal remained closed, while the Desert Pat Feeder was supplied 3,544 cusecs and Ghotki feeder with 3,876 cusecs of water.

Soomro added that upstream at Sukkur Barrage stood at 39,990 cusecs and downstream at 10,220 cusecs of water. Only 29,770 cusecs of water was being released into Sukkur Barrage’s canals, which have a capacity for 51,100 cusecs. The North West Canal’s share stood at 2,330 cusecs, Rice Canal’s at 1,140 cusecs, Dadu Canal’s at 1,520, Nara Canal’s at 10,500 cusecs and Rohri Canal’s at 11,300 cusecs of water.

While sharing details about water shortage at Kotri Barrage, Soomro said that 6,095 cusecs water was released into its upstream, while nothing was released into it downstream. While the allocation of the barrage’s canals stood at 26,900 cusecs, only 6,195 cusecs of water was being released into them, contributing to the 77 per cent shortfall.
Soomro added that the water situation had improved at Tarbela and Mangla Dams due to the melting of ice in the country’s northern areas. Temperature at Skurdu had reached 29 degrees Celsius a few days back, causing ice to melt in the area. Water level at Tarbela Dam stood at 1385.6 feet on Sunday, said Soomro. Inflow at the dam stood at 87,300 cusecs, while outflow remained at 70,000 cusecs of water. The water level at Mangla Dam stood at 1,095.7 feet, with inflow at 51,800 cusecs and outflow at 40,948 cusecs of water.

However, Soomro was confident that rise in temperature in Skardu and other northern areas would also improve the water situation at Chashma Barrage. Soomro said that upstream at Chashma Barrage was recorded at 140,211 cusecs, with downstream at 113,000 cusecs. This could alleviate some of Sindh’s water shortage problems, but it would take five days for the water to travel 500 kilometres from Chashma to Guddu Barrage, said Soomro.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2012.