HARIPUR, Dec 22: Following a long, countrywide dry spell the water level in Tarbela Dam, a major source of hydel power in the country, has decreased to 1,390ft.

The province’s share of irrigation water has also been reduced, while its power production capacity has also experienced a considerable decline, necessitating loadshedding in the country, Dawn learnt through highly-placed sources here on Saturday.

According to sources at the Tarbela Dam, as the dry spell was continuing countrywide, particularly in the catchment areas of the reservoir, the water level in the world’s largest earth-filled dam has shrunk to 1390ft. The dead level of the dam is 1369ft.

Because of the shrinking water level, the share of provinces under IRSA agreement has also been curtailed to 20,000 cusecs which, until a day earlier, was 25,000 cusecs.

If the situation remains unchanged, the share of irrigation water to the provinces may further be reduced as the inflow is tapering off with each passing day, a senior official, who did not want to be named, said.

About the electricity production, the sources said that from 6 units, out of a total 14, a 19.55 MKWH power production was recorded.

The remaining 8 units either remained at a standstill or operated just in the peak hours of inflow.

It’s not possible to keep all the 14 power units operative due to the ever-decreasing level of water in the main dam, said the source, who went on to express the fear that the few that were still in operation, could stop doing so if the bad situation of water persisted.

To a question, the source attributed the decreasing water storage as well as the dam’s power producing capacity to a 250ft high delta in the reservoir, only 6km away from the main dam.

It has been reported that if the delta continued to travel closer to the main dam at the same pace, it could cause irreparable damage to the power producing units.