Under supervision of the Indus River System Authority (Irsa), Wapda stored 8.2 million acre feet of water in its three main reservoirs Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma for sowing of Rabi crops especially the wheat crop in coming months of October/November.
Wapda sources told Business Recorder that with the current inflows in Indus, Kabul and Jhelum rivers, Tarbela and Mangla dams are likely to be filled by middle of next month.
Punjab agriculture experts say that the province has adequate water for the Kharif crops, namely cotton, rice and sugarcane but it could face up to 20 percent water shortage for sowing of the wheat, barley, lentils, mustard and fodder crops which are irrigated from the river and underground water sources.
It may be added that one of the reasons for missing wheat production target by 3 million tons this harvesting season was the shortage of irrigation water in the country. Some members of the Punjab Water Council accused the government of releasing more water from the Tarbela and Mangla dams in late February and early March for generation of electricity and ignored critical irrigation requirements of the standing wheat crop which reduced the per acre yield. Consequently the government would spend about $1 billion more out of its scarce foreign exchange reserves to pay for the food bill during FY 2008-09.
The experts say that the Punjab government would launch a "grow more wheat" campaign in October to meet the growing food needs of the country for which efficient management of water resources and timely supply of other inputs were essential. Meanwhile the position of the river inflows/outflows at Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma along with the reservoirs levels and the barrages on Thursday was as under.
Rivers: Indus at Tarbela-inflows 191,500 cusecs and Outflows 195,000 cusecs. Kabul at Nowshera: Inflows 43,600 cusecs and Outflows 43,600 cusecs, Indus at Chashma- Inflows 290,500 cusecs and Outflows 269,600 cusecs, Jhelum at Mangla-Inflows 25,900 cusecs and Outflows 15.000 cusecs, Chenab at Mangla- Inflows 51,900 cusecs and Outflows 18,700 cusecs.
Barrages: Jinnah-lnflows 260,000 cusecs and Outflows 251,600 cusecs, Chashma -Inflows 290,500 cusecs and Outflows 269,600 cusecs, Taunsa- Inflows 276,000 cusecs and Outflows 245,700 cusecs, Guddu- Inflows '191,600 cusecs and Outflows 155,100 cusecs, Sukkur- Inflows 143,000 cusecs and Outflows.78,900 cusecs, Kotri^ Inflows 48,948 cusecs and Outflows 8,709 cusecs.
Reservoirs Level and Storage: Tarbela- level 1509.34 feet, live storage 4.627 Million Acre Feet (MAF) and dead level 1369 feet, Mangla- level 1178.90 feet, live storage 3,342 MAF and dead level 1040 feet, Chashma- level 646.50 feet, live storage 0.268 MAF and dead level 637 feet. The Met office has forecast a dry weather for whole of the country for next 24 hours.
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