HAIRPUR, June 17: Water level in Tarbela reservoir has increased by about 45 feet during the last six days augmenting the power generation capacity of country's biggest hydel power generation unit.

On Tuesday evening the inflow crossed the mark of 300,000 cusecs, raising the expectations of early filling of reservoir during this season, official sources told Dawn here on Tuesday evening. Sources attributed the surging inflow of water in the dam to ever-shooting temperature that caused snow melting in the catchment areas of Indus River.

They said that on Wednesday last the inflow was recorded as 175,000 cusecs and the reservoir's level stood at 1399.75 feet while the outflow was 150,000 cusecs. “The inflow on the same day last year was 127,600 cusecs and level was 1,414 feet,” they added.

The official sources privy to the daily record of inflow and outflow said that on Tuesday evening the inflow in the reservoir surged to 301,000 cusecs and the outflow was 160,800 cusecs. The level had risen to 1443.80 feet, which was about 29 feet up from the level recorded last year.

About power generation capacity, the source said that it was recorded as 2,650 Megawatts against last week's 2,130 Megawatts while it was 2,331 Megawatts on the same day last year. “Usually the reservoir is filled to its maximum storage capacity of 1,550 feet on August 20 every year but the rising temperature that is causing snow melting in the hilly areas may increase the inflow of water and fill the Tarbela lake little bit earlier than the stipulated time,” officials said. —Correspondent