ISLAMABAD-The country’s mega water reservoir of Tarbela dam has achieved it maximum conservation level of 1550 feet.
While Mangla dam present level is 1238.15 feet which is 3.85 feet short of hitting the maximum conservation level of 1242 feet and is likely to attain its peak level within a week. Chashma reservoir is also 5 feet away from touching its peak level of 649 feet.
The filling of Tarbela dam resulted in 5.809 million acre feet (MAF) of water availability in the dam, which is a good omen for agriculture and hydel power generation in Pakistan in the days to come, said spokesperson WAPDA here Friday. It is noteworthy that in the last few years the filling time of Tarbella dam used to be 15 to 21 August, however, this year owing to better flows in river Indus the maximum level has been achieved earlier.
Tarbela Dam is considered an iconic project for the contribution it has been making towards development of Pakistan by releasing the stored water for agricultural mitigating floods and providing low-cost hydel electricity to the national grid. Tarbela Reservoir has a live water storage capacity of 5.809 MAF. Besides, Tarbela is the biggest electricity generating facility in Pakistan with installed capacity of 4888 megawatt (MW), which will further increase to 6418 MW after completion of Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project.
As per the hydrological data released by WAPDA, inflows in Kabul at Nowshehra were 40900 cusecs and outflows 40900 cusecs, Khairabad Bridge 222700 cusecs and outflow 222700, inflows in Jhelum at Mangla 31500 cusecs and outflows 10000 cusecs, Chenab at Marala inflows 83200 cusecs and outflows 54300 cusecs. Tarbela dam against the minimum operating level of 1402 feet is presently at 1550.00 feet, while the maximum conservation level of the dam is also 1550 feet. While live storage of the reservoir is 5.809 MAF.
Mangla against the minimum operating level 1050 feet is presently at 1238.15 feet. The maximum conservation level of the reservoir is 1242 feet while live storage was 7.050 MAF. Chashma against the minimum operating level of 638.15 feet is presently at 644.00 feet. The maximum conservation level of Chashma is 649 feet with a live storage of 0.100 MAF on Friday.