The much needed water flows in the four live rivers of the country have started increasing as temperature in the catchment areas of the rivers have been rising during the last three days, Wapda engineers told Business Recorder on Friday.
They said that Irsa had emptied the two big water reservoirs Tarbela on river Indus and Mangla on river Jhelum earlier this month, the water regulatory body was releasing only the meager inflows in the rivers downstream the reservoirs for hydel power generation and irrigating the near maturity Rabi crops including wheat, grams, oilseeds, sunflower, vegetables, fodder etc.
They said that water inflow in river Indus on Monday last was 16,800 cusecs and 14,700 cusecs in river Jhelum. As weather is warming up in the mountainous regions and heavy snow has started melting slowly, the water flow in river Indus at Tarbela rose to 29,800 cusecs on Tuesday, 27,600 cusecs on Wednesday and 24,900 cusecs on Thursday.
The water inflow in river Jhelum at Mangla dam increased to 29,911 cusecs on Tuesday, 35,123 cusecs on Wednesday and 22,361 cusecs on Thursday. Irsa is releasing all the run of the river water into the hydel power generation system and irrigation canals as the country is facing acute electricity and irrigation water shortfall at a critical stage of strategic crops maturity in the fourth week of the month of March. The crops are due to be harvested in two - three weeks time.
A Met office report said that temperature increased by 5 degrees Celsius in the plains of Punjab on Friday as weather remained dry in most parts of the country. In the provincial capital the mercury touched 31 degree Celsius whereas maximum temperature 37C in Pakistan was recorded at Mithi in Sindh province.
The maximum temperature in Gilgit-Baltistan/Azad Kashmir, the main source of water inflows was as follows on Friday. Astore, 13.7C , Bunji 20C, Chilas 22.5C, Garhi Dupatta 28.5C, Gilgit 21C, Gupis 14C, Rawalakot, 21C, Hunza 12C and Skardu 14.5C. It said mainly dry weather is expected over most parts of the country, however isolated thunderstorm/rain may occur over Malakand division & Gilgit-Baltistan on Saturday.