Pakistan could benefit by Rs 900 billion as three largest water reservoirs fill up
Pakistan could benefit by Rs 900 billion as three largest water reservoirs fill up
LAHORE (Dunya News) - Pakistan’s three largest water reservoirs Tarbela dam, Mangla dam and Chashma barrage are almost at capacity. This is important because this season, 3 million acre feet (MAF) of water flowed through Kotri Barrage into the ocean.
Rao Irshad, a member of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA), said that due to the three dams not filling up last year, the carry-over reserves in them were only 6 MAF when the Rabi season started on October 1, 2019. Due to this, canal water shortage was estimated to be 49% in Rabi season. But this year, the carry over is expected to be more than 11 MAF which will reduce the canal water shortage to 20%.
It was told that by September 1, the total water reserves would be around 13.62 MAF; 6MAF from Tarbela dam, 7.35 MAF from 1240 ft water level at Mangla dam and 0.27 MAF from 270,000 acre feet water stored in Chashma Barrage Lake. Out of this, 2 MAF would be provided for provincial needs till September 30 while the remaining 11.62 MAF will be used in Rabi season.
According to findings, historically, the four provinces need 36 million acre-feet of water for wheat, mustard and other crops in Rabi season, of which 24 MAF comes from rivers and 12 MAF from dams. But in the last 20 years, the flow of rivers has been reduced to 18-20 MAF, due to which farmers will have to bear 18-20% shortage of water this year. However, if unexpected rains in January, February and March repeat in 2021, this shortage may be reduced.
Rabia Sultan, a farmers’ representative, said that it costs Rs 1,500 to irrigate an acre of land through diesel tube wells. But this year, with the additional water supply of 5.6 MAF, famers will make direct savings of Rs 8.40 billion.
Another representative Farooq Ahmad Bajwa said that compared to last year, 5.6 million acre-feet of additional water supply will benefit Pakistan’s economy to the tune of Rs 924 billion.
