ISLAMABAD - The provinces are likely to face up to 45 percent water shortage in the upcoming Rabi season; it is learnt reliably here Sunday.

Irsa technical committee is scheduled to meet on 25th of this month to review the water situation and finalise its recommendation regarding water availability for the upcoming Rabi season, starting from October 1st, official source told The Nation.

"If we were able to reserved up to 8 MAF water in the reservoirs till the end of the current month then it is most likely that the water shortage for the Rabi will be around 45 percent" said the source. The current water in the reservoir is 8.49 MAF.

On 25th Irsa's technical committee will review the water availability situation for the Rabi season. However, the source said that the final decision about the anticipated water shortage for Kharif and determination of provinces share will be taken in the Irsa's advisory committee meeting likely to be held on October 1st. Usually the advisory committee's meeting takes place by the end of September but since weekend falls on 29th and 30th September therefore the meeting is scheduled for Monday October 1st, said the source.

The Water Accord 1991 empowered Irsa to determine water availability in the country and provincial share twice a year, once for Kharif season and the other for Rabi season. Rabi season starts from October 1 while Kharif starts from April 1.

To save water for the Rabi season the provinces have also downward revised their intends. Sindh has downward revised its intend to 125000 cusecs, Punjab has reduced its intend to 105000 cusecs, Balochistan to 13000 cusecs and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is getting the same share of 3100 cusecs. However the official said that the water has considerably decreased in Chenab river and therefore the releases from Mangla was increased by 16000 cusecs from the current 12000 cusecs to 28000 cusecs.

The position of the river inflows and outflows at Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma along with the reservoirs levels and the barrages on Sunday were as follow:

Inflows in River Indus at Tarbela were 100900 cusecs and outflows 150000 cusecs, inflows in Kabul at Nowshera were 13000 cusecs and outflows 13000 cusecs, inflows in Jhelum at Mangla 12000 cusecs, inflows in Chenab at Marala 29400 cusecs and outflows 10000 cusecs.

Inflows in Jinnah barrage were 188900 cusecs and outflows 181900 cusecs, Chashma: inflows 208000 cusecs and outflows 160000 cusecs, Taunsa inflows 166000 cusecs and outflows 142200 cusecs, Panjnad inflows 8600 cusecs, Guddu inflows 118000 cusecs and outflows 88300 cusecs, Sukkur inflows 76800 cusecs and outflows 30000, and Kotri inflows 39600 cusecs..

Tarbela against the minimum operating level of 1386 feet is presently at 1534.87 feet. The maximum conservation level of Tarbela is1550 feet.

Mangla against the minimum operating level of 1050 feet is presently 1178.60 feet. , The maximum conservation level of Mangla is 1242 feet. Chashma against the minimum operating level of 638.15 feet is presently at 647.20 feet. The maximum conservation level of Chashma is 649 feet.