Owing to over 38 percent estimated shortage of water for sowing, growing and maturing strategic six monthly Rabi crops the Punjab Irrigation department closed all its non-perennial canals across the province from October 15 to conserve available water for sowing winter crops early next month.
Punjab Canal Regulators told Business Recorder that they are also closing all perennial canals emanating from river Indus in south Punjab with effect from October 16 for 10 days. All perennial canals in northern and central Punjab off-taking from Mangla Dam and River Chenab will be closed for 10 days from October 21.
They said the perennial canals across the province would be reopened for some time next month to meet full water requirements of farmers of canal irrigated areas for sowing of Rabi crops including staple food wheat on maximum acreage.
Water managers told this scribe that monsoon season of 2018 was the most water deficient year in the recent history of Pakistan as Mangla Dam on the River Jhelum could only be filled up to 35 percent of its capacity of 7.4 MAF water. There is only 4.6 MAF water left in the two reservoir to meet the drinking and irrigation water needs of the nation till 1st April 2019.
Rivers flows and reservoirs level report of October 15:
Rivers: Indus at Tarbela: Inflows 33100 cusecs and Outflows 35000 cusecs, Kabul at Nowshera: Inflows 7000 cusecs and Outflows 7000 cusecs, Jhelum at Mangla: Inflows 8300 cusecs and Outflows 20000 cusecs, Chenab at Marala: Inflows 14500 cusecs and Outflows 6000 cusecs.
Barrages: Jinnah: Inflows 59800 cusecs and Outflows 55800 cusecs, Chashma: Inflows 45700 cusecs and Outflows 56000 cusecs, Taunsa: Inflows 60600 cusecs and Outflows 60600 cusecs, Panjnad: Inflows 6220 cusecs and Outflows Nil cusecs Guddu: Inflows 56700 cusecs and Outflows 46000 cusecs, Sukkur: Inflows 45000 cusecs and Outflows 18700, Kotri: Inflows 17400 cusecs and Outflows Nil.
Reservoirs (Level and Storage):
Tarbela: Minimum operating level 1386 feet, present level 1482.34 feet, maximum conservation level 1550 feet, live storage today 2.618 million acre feet (MAF).
Mangla: Minimum operating level 1050 feet, present level 1155.75 feet, maximum conservation level 1242 feet, live storage today 2.016 MAF.
Chashma: Minimum operating level 638.15 feet, present level 644.10 feet, maximum conservation level 649 feet, live storage today 0.102 MAF.
Weather forecast for Tuesday: Mainly dry weather is expected in most parts of the country. However, rain-thunderstorm (with snowfall over the hills) accompanied by gusty wind is expected at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala divisions, Islamabad, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Hailstorm is also expected at few places during the period.