Aided by prolonged I closure of irrigation canal network and three good spells of widespread winter rains in the months of December and January, the Indus River System Authority has stored sufficient water in the Tarbela dam on the mighty Indus and Mangla dam on the river Jhelum to supply water for irrigation of Rabi crops including the nation's staple food wheat till their maturity by the end of March and middle of April when crops are ripe for harvesting across the country.
Punjab Irrigation engineers told Business Recorder here on Monday that the national water regulatory body has stored about two Million Acre Feet (MAF) water in the two reservoirs while the water inflows in the rivers are also picking up to meet immediate water needs of the strategic crops.
They said that after one and half months closure of canals for desilting and repairs purposes, the department has started opening of perennial canals to irrigate crops dependent on canal water.
They said that IRSA is releasing 25,000 cusecs water from the Tarbela dam and 10,000 cusecs from the Mangla dam to meet water indents of the provinces. River Chenab is contributing 11,500 cusecs and River Kabul 8,700 cusecs precious water to the sprawling irrigation network.
Punjab Irrigation department has re-opened the Marala Ravi link canal with a flow of 8,000 cusecs from river Chenab to supplement water supply to areas under the command of river Ravi including districts of Kasur, Okara, Sahiwal, and Pakpatton. The department has discharged 3,500 cusecs water in the Upper Chenab that feeds large areas of districts Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Sheikhupura and Lahore,
The position of inflow and outflow of water at barrages from Jinnah barrage to the last Kotri barrage on the river Indus on 4th February was as under:
Barrages: Jinnah: Inflows 35100 cusecs and Outflows 35100 cusecs, Chashma: Inflows 32800 cusecs and Outflows 39000 cusecs, Taunsa: Inflows 23500 cusecs and Outflows 23200 cusecs, Panjnad: Inflows 11900 cusecs and Outflows 7900 cusecs, Guddu: Inflows 24300 cusecs and Outflows 21000 cusecs, Sukkur: Inflows 19600 cusecs and Outflows 4100 cusecs, Kotri: Inflows 3600 cusecs and Outflows Nil cusecs.
Reservoirs (Level and Storage):
Tarbela: Minimum operating level 1386 feet, present level 1433.26 feet, maximum conservation level 1550 feet, live storage today 0.887 million acre feet (MAF).
Mangla: Minimum operating level 1050 feet, present level 1124.80 feet, maximum conservation level 1242 feet, live storage today 0.920 MAF.
Chashma: Minimum operating level 638.15 feet, present level 640.80 feet, maximum conservation level 649 feet, live storage today 0.037 MAF.