The second-largest reservoir in the nation, Tarbela Dam, reached its maximum conservation capacity on Monday when total live storage surpassed 11 million acre feet (MAF). This puts it only 15% short of the maximum capacity of 13.35 MAF.
The Water and Power Development Authority declared, “Today, Tarbela Dam reached its maximum conservation level of 1,550 feet above mean sea level, resulting in 5.766 million acre feet of useable water in the reservoir.”
According to Wapda, the dam’s filling portends well for the nation’s irrigated agriculture and production of inexpensive, clean, and environmentally friendly hydel power.
However, Mangla Dam, the nation’s biggest water reservoir, was around thirty feet short of its carrying capacity.
Its conservation level is around 1,214 feet, according to Wapda. Mangla Dam was filled to a maximum elevation of 1,242 feet as of Monday.
As a result, Tarbela’s maximum storage of roughly 7.3 MAF was surpassed on Monday, leaving usable water at roughly 5.18 MAF.
The Arabian Sea has received around 6.5 MAF of water since April 1st, surpassing the Tarbela dam’s overall storage capacity. For environmental reasons, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa), the water regulator, and Wapda are obliged by the 1991 water apportionment agreement to guarantee that at least 8MAF flows downstream of the Kotri Barrage.
About 380,400 cusec of the 417,000 cusec total river flows at rim stations were released into the irrigation system on Monday, according to the Irsa. This left roughly 47,000 cusec for conservation, largely in the Mangla and Tarbela dams.
According to reports, the Indus was flowing at Tarbela dam at 256,400 cusecs, compared to its total output of 235,000 cusecs.
According to reports, the river Jhelum at Mangla dam flowed at 25,800 cusecs against the 10,000-cusec outflows, while the Kabul River in Nowshera was said to be flowing at 66,400 cusecs.
The Chenab River flowed at 62,700 cusecs at Marala Headworks.
The Federal Flood Commission, meanwhile, recorded low flood in Tarbela-Chashma reach and medium flood in Taunsa-Sukkur reach of the River Indus. At Nowshera, the Kabul was also under low water.
