Flood fears: IRSA reduces water supply to provinces
Aims to mitigate flood impact, store water for future needs.
ISLAMABAD:
Alerted by heavy rains and the threat of flood, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has cut water releases from dams to avoid destruction in provinces and fill the reservoirs to avoid any water shortage later.
“We have reduced water releases from Tarbela and Mangla Dams to minimise the impact of flood in streams,” a spokesman for Irsa told The Express Tribune on Thursday.
The heavy monsoon rains have killed dozens of people and damaged scores of houses in northern parts of the country.
From Tarbela, water discharge has been reduced from 140,000 cusecs to 120,000 cusecs and from Mangla the discharge has been cut from 13,000 cusecs to 12,000 cusecs. Last year, average water releases from Tarbela stood at 95,000 cusecs and from Mangla 13,000 cusecs.
The spokesman pointed out that Irsa also desired to fill these dams in order to meet future water needs. At present, water level in Tarbela is at 1,503 feet against dead level of 1,378 feet. In Mangla, the water level is at 1,176 feet against dead level of 1,040 feet.
“We want to take water in Tarbela Dam to 1,550 feet during rains these days. In Mangla, we aim to increase water level to 1,242 feet,” said the spokesman for Irsa, which regulates water supply to the provinces.
In March this year, water in Mangla and Tarbela dams had dropped to the dead level, which sparked fears of acute shortage for crops.
“Now, we hope that current rains will help fill the Tarbela Dam to the maximum 1,550 feet, but it will not be possible to store water in Mangla Dam to the maximum,” the spokesman said.
Official data shows that water inflow into Indus River at Tarbela was 256,000 cusecs against average inflow of 142,200 cusecs last year. Inflow into Kabul River at Nowshera stood at 43,300 cusecs against average inflow of 32,500 cusecs last year.
Inflow into River Jhelum at Mangla was 63,000 cusecs and into River Chenab at Marala was 126,800 cusecs against last year’s average inflow of 19,600 and 59,500 cusecs respectively.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2012.
Alerted by heavy rains and the threat of flood, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has cut water releases from dams to avoid destruction in provinces and fill the reservoirs to avoid any water shortage later.
“We have reduced water releases from Tarbela and Mangla Dams to minimise the impact of flood in streams,” a spokesman for Irsa told The Express Tribune on Thursday.
The heavy monsoon rains have killed dozens of people and damaged scores of houses in northern parts of the country.
From Tarbela, water discharge has been reduced from 140,000 cusecs to 120,000 cusecs and from Mangla the discharge has been cut from 13,000 cusecs to 12,000 cusecs. Last year, average water releases from Tarbela stood at 95,000 cusecs and from Mangla 13,000 cusecs.
The spokesman pointed out that Irsa also desired to fill these dams in order to meet future water needs. At present, water level in Tarbela is at 1,503 feet against dead level of 1,378 feet. In Mangla, the water level is at 1,176 feet against dead level of 1,040 feet.
“We want to take water in Tarbela Dam to 1,550 feet during rains these days. In Mangla, we aim to increase water level to 1,242 feet,” said the spokesman for Irsa, which regulates water supply to the provinces.
In March this year, water in Mangla and Tarbela dams had dropped to the dead level, which sparked fears of acute shortage for crops.
“Now, we hope that current rains will help fill the Tarbela Dam to the maximum 1,550 feet, but it will not be possible to store water in Mangla Dam to the maximum,” the spokesman said.
Official data shows that water inflow into Indus River at Tarbela was 256,000 cusecs against average inflow of 142,200 cusecs last year. Inflow into Kabul River at Nowshera stood at 43,300 cusecs against average inflow of 32,500 cusecs last year.
Inflow into River Jhelum at Mangla was 63,000 cusecs and into River Chenab at Marala was 126,800 cusecs against last year’s average inflow of 19,600 and 59,500 cusecs respectively.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2012.