Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has stopped extra water releases from the Tarbela dam for hydel power generation to conserve water for sowing, growing and maturing Rabi crops including wheat, grams, oil seeds, vegetables and fodder from November to April.
A spokesman of Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) said on Wednesday that hydel power generation had dropped to 3,600 MW from its peak level of 6,400 MW due to low water flows downstream the Tarbela and Mangla dams. According to 26th October rivers flows and reservoirs level report of Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), Irsa is releasing only run of the river Indus water to the tune of 34,300 cusecs downstream the Tarbela dam and 19,000 cusecs water from the Mangla dam against the run of river Jhelum 11,200 cusecs water.
Meanwhile, water inflow in the four live rivers of the country has dipped to 68,000 cusecs at their rim stations, after significant drop in the temperature in upper regions of the country; river Indus at Tarbela 34,300 cusecs, river Kabul at Nowshera 11,900 cusecs, river Jhelum at Mangla 12,200 cusecs and river Chenab at Marala 10,400 cusecs.
The water inflow in mighty Indus at Jinnah barrage is 61,500 cusecs, Chashma 51,100 cusecs, Taunsa 37,000 cusecs, Guddu 40,100 cusecs, Sukkur 34.800 cusecs and Kotri 15,800 cusecs. Sindh Irrigation department is releasing 8,700 cusecs water downstream the Kotri barrage into the Indus delta as this water is more than water Indent of the Sindh province for irrigation purposes. The report said that only 10.2 MAF water is left in the three reservoirs, Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma for the six monthly Rabi crops which is more than 17 percent short of the crops requirements.