The heat wave conditions in northern areas of the country during past few days has triggered good snow melting, and the water inflows in the four live rivers have reached 270,000 cusecs at their rim stations.
According to 17th May rivers flows and reserves level report of Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), 1,03,000 cusecs water is flowing in river Indus at Tarbela dam, 55,600 cusecs in river Kabul at Nowshera, 68,500 cusecs in river Jhelum at Mangla and 45,700 cusecs water in river Chenab at Marala, near Sialkot.
Against the inflow of 2,70,000 cusecs water, Indus River System Authority(Irsa) is releasing 2,41,300 cusecs water into the canal irrigation network across the country for sowing of Kharif crops, cotton, rice, sugarcane, vegetables, fodder for livestock etc. It is discharging 85,000 cusecs from Tarbela dam on river Indus, 55,600 cusecs from river Kabul, 55,000 cusecs from Mangla dam on river Jhelum and 45,700 cusecs water from river Chenab downstream towards central and south Punjah.
PEPCO sources say that increased water discharges from Tarbela and Mangla dams have accelerated inexpensive hydel power production from Mangla, Tarbela, Ghazi Barotha, Chashma and other hydel power houses to the level of 5134MW. According to the Wapda report, water inflow at Jinnah Barrage is 1,25,300 cusecs, Chashma barrage 1,26,400 cusecs, Taunsa barrage 94,000 cusecs, Guddu barrage 69,700 cusecs, Sukkur barrage 55,500 cusecs and Kotri barrage on river Indus 11,795 cusecs. Wapda has so far stored 2.5 MAF water in the three reservoirs, Tarbela 0.586MAF, Mangla 1.817MAF, and Chashma barrage 0.140MAF. Irsa sources say that the water availability in the month of May is much better than the previous year.