ISLAMABAD - Major water reservoirs Tarbela and Mangla are likely to reach their dead level by the end of current moth, it is learnt reliably here Sunday.
"If dry weather persists during next week then all the water reservoirs are likely be emptied by the end of current month," official source told The Nation.
The official said that the water flow in Chenab and Jhelum is too low, however due to rains last week, the water flow in Indus was improved to 21000 cusecs and Kabul to 17000 cusecs but once again it was reduced to 13000 and 11500 cusecs respectively, the official said.
In November, the Indus River System Authority upward revised the water shortage and anticipated that provinces would face 36 percent shortage during Rabi season instead of the early forecast of 20 percent.
The official said that the provinces are still getting water as per Irsa's forecast of 36 percent shortage. So far Punjab has received water with 30percent cut on its share, Sindh faced 31 percent water shortage and Balochistan 15percent, the official said. Currently Punjab is getting 39000 cusecs water, Sindh 37000 cusec while Baluchistan is getting 4000 Cusecs of water, the official said.
The official said that there is forecast of rain during last week of February and if it happens then the dams will last a bit longer and will reach to its dead level during first week of March. In case of persistent dry weather both Mangla and Tarbela will reach to dead level by the end of February, the official said. Chasma is already only five feet above from its dead level.
Reaching to dead level during February can prove very dangerous particularly for the crops in Sindh, the official said. Sindh will require water for its last watering of wheat crop till March 15 which will take it to the harvesting season.
Irsa has informed the provinces about the coming water shortage during the month of March. However the official said that reaching of dams to dead level during March is normal as last year also both the reservoirs reached to dead level during second week of March.
In case dam drops to its dead level then the provinces will be provided with water supply on daily basis from the normal flow of the river, the official said.
As per the position of the river inflows and outflows at Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma along with the reservoirs levels and the barrages on Sunday as released by IRSA are as follows; inflow in Indus at Tarbela were 13000 cusecs and outflows 40000 cusecs, inflows in Kabul at Nowshera were 11500 cusecs and outflows 11500 cusecs, inflows in Jhelum at Mangla were 3500 cusecs and outflows 22000 cusecs, While inflow in Chenab at Marala were 5700 cusecs while there were no outflows.
Against the Minimum operating level of 1380 feet Tarbela present level is 1416.37 feet.
The maximum conservation level of the reservoir is 1550 feet. Similarly in Mangla against the minimum operating level of 1040 feet the present level 1087.25 feet. The maximum conservation level of Mangla is 1242 feet. Chashma reservoir against the minimum operating level of 637 feet the present level was 642 feet .The maximum conservation level of Chashma is 649 feet.
Fawad Yousafzai