There would be sufficient rains during the current monsoon to fill all the major water reservoirs and meet irrigation water requirements both for Rabi and Kharif crops, meteorological department experts told Business Recorder here on Thursday.
They forecast a heavy spell of rain starting from August 3,4 in Upper and Central Punjab and Upper and Lower Sindh, which would continue up to August 15, resulting into over-flowing of rivers at certain points.
They said that the Potohar region, comprising Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Chakwal and Attock districts has already had 600 mm of rain during the past two weeks as against the average rainfall of 263 mm in the first fortnight of monsoon season.
They said that the three main dams which supply drinking water to the residents of Islamabad, Rawalpindi and adjoining areas, Rawal dam, Simli dam, and Khanpur dam have almost reached their maximum storage capacity
"Simli dam in the Murree hills is filled up to 2,279 ft. as against its capacity of 2,310 ft., Rawal dam in Islamabad has touched 1,740 ft level against its capacity of 1,752 ft. and Khanpur dam across the Margala Hills is filled up to 1,926 ft, only 50 ft below its overflowing level" they added.
However, the experts apprehended that there would be less than normal rains in the Balochistan province this year.
The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) while releasing enough irrigation water to meet all requirements of the provinces is retaining sufficient water for storage in the Tarbela dam on river Indus and Mangla dam on river Jhelum. The total RIM stations inflows was 4,90,294 cusecs and RIM station outflows was 3,44,076 cusecs.
According to the latest water situation report of IRSA, water level in Tarbela dam has crossed 1,500 ft against its dead level of 1,369 ft and in Mangla dam it is above 1,191 ft. against its dead level of 1,040 ft.
Mean inflow at Tarbela on river Indus was 2,82,400 cusecs and mean outflow was 1,60,000 cusecs while other main rivers, Jhelum, Chenab, Kabul, Ravi and Sutlej are flowing normally.