After 8 months, water released downstream Kotri

Improvement in Indus river flow allows more than 8,000 cusecs to be released from barrage.

SUKKUR: After eight months, water has been released downstream Kotri in the Indus river. With the water flow improving in the river, more than 8,000 cusecs of water were released at Kotri Barrage.

According to the latest reports, the Sukkur and Kotri barrages are discharging access water but a 10.7 per cent shortage is being faced at Guddu Barrage.

No water had been released downstream for the past eight months, causing a severe shortage in the southern districts of the province. The prolonged water shortage had dealt a severe blow to the farmers sowing Kharif crops. The growers had spent huge sums on cultivation of rice but the crop was destroyed due to the shortage of water, resulting in huge losses.

Sukkur Barrage control room in-charge Abdul Aziz Soomro told The Express Tribune that the upstream flow at Kotri barrage was recorded at 41,870 cusecs on Sunday while 8,110 cusecs were being released downstream.

Giving details of the flow in the off-takings canals at Kotri barrage, the irrigation officer said that Kalri Baghar Feeder is getting 6,650 cusecs of water; Akram Wah 2,680 cusecs; Old Phuleli 9,950 cusecs; and New Phuleli 14,465 cusecs of water.

Water experts say 10 million acre feet water (five million cusecs) should be released per year downstream Kotri to contain the intrusion of sea and for the conservation of the Indus delta.

According to Soomro, the water flow upstream Guddu Barrage was recorded at 184,120 cusecs on Sunday with downstream flow of 143,969 cusecs. The off-shooting canals at Guddu Barrage can take up to 45,000 cusecs of water, but 40,151 cusecs water is being released – a shortage of 10.7 per cent. At the Begari Sindh Feeder canal, the flow is 16,616 cusecs, while Desert Pat Feeder and Ghotki Feeder are getting 12,818 cusecs and 10,717 cusecs, respectively.

On Sunday, the upstream flow at Sukkur Barrage was recorded at 116,020 cusecs while the downstream was 55,990 cusecs. In the right pocket, North West Canal is running with 8,400 cusecs, Rice Canal with 14,800 cusecs and Dadu Canal 4,410 cusecs. In the left pocket of Sukkur Barrage, 15,000 cusecs water is flowing in Nara Canal, Khairpur Feeder East is getting 1,920 cusecs, Rohri Canal 13,800 cusecs and Khairpur Feeder West 1,700 cusecs of water.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2012.