LAHORE, Aug 15: The combined live storage of Tarbela and Mangla dams on Thursday reached 11.68 million acre feet —- 7.11maf and 4.57maf, respectively —- that is a 10-year record for the corresponding period.

According to the statistics of the Water and Power Development Authority, the live storage of Tarbela from 1993 to 2002 was recorded as 6.40maf whereas it remained at 4.07maf for Mangla Lake.

This is despite the fact that as much as 14.414maf water has escaped to sea, below downstream Kotri, since June 20, 2003, which is 2.73maf more than the record storage of both the dams.

On Friday, the Tarbela level reached its optimum level of 1,550 feet. The authorities concerned took the level to 1,552 feet last year, and may decide to do so again this season. Similarly, the Mangla Lake also touched an optimum level of 1,202.15 feet though Wapda has indicated to take the level to 1,206 feet, earning an additional capacity of 0.26maf that constitutes 10-day supply in the water-scared Rabi season.