Growers in Sindh are expecting a bumper crop this year. Due to sufficient rains in the catchment areas, growers are happy that their Kharif crops will have enough water when the sowing time comes. PHOTO: AYESHA MIR/EXPRESS
Unlike the past few years, ample water will be available in all three barrages of Sindh during the Kharif season, The Express Tribune has learnt.
This means that growers can expect bumper crops of rice, cotton and sugarcane. Due to early rainfall in the catchment areas, the volume of water in Tarbela Dam has increased. Since that water flows down to Sindh, the province will face no shortages during the coming months.
According Sukkur Barrage control room in-charge Abdul Aziz Soomro, the recent rainfall has helped improve the water situation in Sindh. The Kabul river, which joins the Indus at Attock, is flowing with 77,000 cusecs of water and adding to the volume of Tarbela Dam as well, he said.
Soomro shared that there has been a rise of over 12 feet in Tarbela Dam's pond level only in the last week and it has taken its level to 1,412.63 feet. The inflow of water into the dam is 66,900 cusecs while the outflow is 50,000 cusecs.
These statistics paint a good picture for the future as usually Tarbela reaches its full capacity of 1,550 feet by August 15 every year. "But, due to the recent rainfall and the forecast for the coming months, the dam will reach its full capacity much ahead of the scheduled time," said Soomro.
Quoting the data from the flood forecasting division in Lahore, Soomro said that rainfall is expected in the catchment areas throughout the month of May. According to him, the rise in temperature at Skardu is helpful in melting the ice, which ultimately will add more to the volume of Tarbela Dam.
Good news for growers
The rice growers in Sindh are particularly happy about the water situation. "Unlike the past few years, the water position looks pretty good," said a rice grower from Kashmore, Ghulam Muhammad Khoso, while talking to The Express Tribune. Even though the two feeders of Guddu Barrage, Begari Sindh and Ghotki, are still closed due to the repairs of the regulators, we hope the maintenance will be completed by June 1 because that is when we need the water, he explained, hoping for a bumper crop this year.
The Hari Committee president, Mandhal Shar, who hails from Ghotki, is preparing his land to sow cotton, another Kharif crop. According to him, the authorities should make sure the Ghotki feeder is repaired by the scheduled time. "Nevertheless, the situation this year looks better and that is a good omen for the growers," he said.
All three off-taking canals of Guddu Barrage -Pat, Begari Sindh and Ghotki feeders - were closed on April 1 for annual repairs and maintenance and were scheduled to reopen on May 1. The repairs of some regulators of Begari Sindh and Ghotki feeders has delayed the reopening. Meanwhike, Pat feeder was reopened on Monday and the remaining two canals are expected to open on May 15. The seven off-taking canals of Sukkur Barrage, except Rice Canal, are carrying water according to the indent. Rice Canal, which is a non-perennial canal, has been kept closed due to the repairs of the Mahota regulator. This canal is kept open from May 15 to October 15 to supply water to the rice belt of Larkana and Qamber-Shahdadkot districts.
Chances of flood
If ample rain continues in the catchment areas, Sindh barrages may experience high floods carrying more than 600,000 cusecs of water, warned Sukkur Barrage's incharge Soomro. "In case of normal rainfall, we might experience low to medium floods, ranging between 250,000 cusecs to 300,000 cusecs," he added. Insisting on being optimistic, he assured there will be no shortage of water in Sindh.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 13th, 2014.
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