22 February 2005	Tuesday	12 Muharram 1426

ISLAMABAD, Feb 21: Water stored in the country's reservoirs has increased to 2.911 million acre feet (maf) or 180 per cent higher than last year's 1.036maf, sources in the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) told Dawn on Monday.

The sources said the next Kharif season was expected to start with carryover resources of more than one million acre feet with build-up of water reserves as against 0.5maf anticipated earlier.

On Monday, Tarbela Dam, Mangla Dam and Chashma Barrage had storage of about 1.454maf, 1.355maf and 0.102maf, respectively. The sources said the river flows in four major rivers also went up significantly to 94,400 cusecs on Monday as compared with last year's 71,700 cusecs as a result of recent spell of rains.

They said the Irsa had increased discharges from Tarbela Dam to 25,000 cusecs as against 15,000 cusecs last week while outflow from Chashma Barrage had gone up to 40,000 cusecs. Similarly, the releases from Mangla Dam had also been raised to 32,000 cusecs against 30,000 cusecs last week.

Total water withdrawals by Punjab and Sindh stood at around 74,000 cusecs and 37,200 cusecs, respectively, on Monday. The sources said the Irsa had decided to continue water releases to the provinces on the basis of 38 per cent shortage estimated for the current year as provincial irrigation departments had already made their arrangements based on 38 per cent shortage. This, they said, would enable the Irsa to carry forward higher resources to the next Kharif season.

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