As Pakistan is passing through one of the worst lean periods of water availability in the month of March, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has reduced water outflows from Tarbela and Mangla dams by 5,000 cusecs, which are just a few feet above their dead levels of live water storages.
However, widespread rains in the Punjab province during the past three days have compensated for some of water shortfall and provided third critical watering to wheat and other Rabi crops. Meteorological Department says that a westerly wave is affecting upper parts of the country and may persist for 12-18 hours. Zhob, Dera Ismail and Dera Ghazi divisions on the borders of NWFP, Balochistan and Punjab provinces received good rains on Saturday.
The department recorded rain (in mm) as follows: D.G. Khan 26, Barkhan 19, Multan 14, Zhob 11, Jhang 09, D I Khan, Pattan 06, Parachinar 05, Faisalabad, M B Din 04, Bhakkar, Sahiwal, Jhelum 03, Islamabad, Rawalpindi 01 mm , TT Singh & Noorpur Thal 2 mm and Okara, Joharabad, Drosh, Quetta 1, Lahore trace. More rain is predicted in the northern parts of the country.
According to 6th March river flows and reservoirs report of Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Irsa is outflowing 35,000 cusecs from Tarbela, against the River Indus inflows of 28,300 cusecs; 30,000 cusecs water is being released from Mangla, against the inflow of 28,800 cusecs water in the Jhelum river. River Kabul is contributing 18,800 cusecs and River Chenab 11,200 cusecs water, to meet the daily needs of surface irrigation and drinking water across the country.
The report, however, says that there is no change in the water flows in river Indus for Sindh province. At Guddu barrage in upper Sindh, water inflow remains 34,000 cusecs, outflow 29,900 cusecs, Sukkur barrage 26,500 cusecs outflow 5,000 cusecs, Kotri barrage inflow 2275 cusecs and outflow nil.
Meanwhile, the live storage of water in the three reservoirs--Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma--fast depleting as only 0.37 MAF water is left in these dams. Tarbela reservoir is just 14 ft above its dead level of 1378 ft, Mangla dam 5 ft above its dead level of 1040 ft and Chashma barrage 8 ft above its dead level of 637 ft. Water experts say that after a couple of days, Irsa would be releasing on run-of-the-river water for hydel power generation and watering the strategic Rabi crops.
The Met Office in its National Weather Outlook for Sunday has said that in Punjab including Islamabad rain with thundershower is expected at isolated places in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Gujranwala divisions at evening/night. After that, dry weather is expected in most parts of the province during next few days.
In NWFP, rain with thundershower with snowfall over the hills is expected at scattered places in Malakand and Hazara divisions during night. After that dry weather is expected in most parts of the province during next few days. In Sindh, dry weather is expected in most parts of the province during next few days.
In Balochistan, dry weather is expected in most parts of the province during next few days. In Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan, rain/thundershower with snowfall over the hills at scattered places is expected in above-mentioned areas during next 12-18 hours. After that, mainly dry weather is expected during next few days.
DOMINANT ALLERGIC POLLEN IN ISLAMABAD In a special advisory, Meteorological Department has warned that Paper Mulberry, possessing serious problems of pollen allergy in Islamabad, is in low concentration and almost harmless for patients susceptible to Paper Mulberry nowadays. The continuous wet spell is considered to be the main reason.
The sprouting of Paper Mulberry has not yet started, as a result of delayed onset of spring, whereas, the atmospheric concentration of Pines, Grasses and Cannabis lies in high category. Therefore, it is advised that individuals sensitive to these allergic pollens must take precautionary measures. It is expected that the trend in allergic pollen will change and the concentration of Paper Mulberry pollen will increase and dominate the other allergic pollen in the second half of March.
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