ISLAMABAD: The water stored at Tarbela Dam reached maximum level of 1,550 feet on Wednesday but officials said a sudden dip in river flows due to fall in temperatures could lead to about 40 per cent cut in provincial water shares.

“The dam has attained its maximum conservation level of 1,550 feet,” said an official statement which put combined live storage of Tarbela, Chashma and Mangla reservoirs at 13.31 million acre feet (MAF) on Wednesday, reasonably higher than the 13.03MAF recorded on the same day last year.

The water level at Mangla dam remained almost static at about 1,232.8 feet owing to low flows in River Jhelum. Flow in the river at Mangla has dropped from about 45,000 on Sunday to less than 24,000 cusecs.

Know more: Tarbela, Mangla reservoirs likely to reach maximum level by Tuesday

Flows in the Indus also came down by almost 50 per cent over the last 72 hours because of a sudden plunge in temperature from 32-34 centigrade last week to 16-17 centigrade on Wednesday in Skardu and adjoining areas, which form the catchment areas of Tarbela dam.

Flows in the river at Tarbela were recorded at 145,000 cusecs on Wednesday against 248,000 cusecs on Sunday.

As a result, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) wrote to the provincial governments, particularly Sindh and Punjab, to start consultations regarding the strategy for water management during the remaining part of the current Kharif season ending in October-November.

In a letter to Punjab and Sindh, Irsa sought their opinion if drawdown from the two dams should be started to meet their indents or they could consider reducing their indents because of decline in river flows.

Sources said the two provinces were already getting 15 per cent less water than their indents. Irsa has asked the provinces if they want current water level maintained in the two dams to have maximum quantities of water for final watering in a few weeks and carry forward reasonable storage into the coming Rabi season.

In that case, Irsa has proposed a further 20 per cent cut in provincial shares.

The sources said Irsa would hold a formal meeting for a final decision on Thursday after receiving response from the provinces.

They said the provinces were currently getting significantly lower quantities when compared to their daily demands but reasonably higher than their approved share.

For example, Punjab is getting about 140,000 cusecs nowadays against its indent of 150,000 cusecs although its share is on the lower side of 122,000 cusecs. Likewise, Sindh is getting 140,000 cusecs against its indent of 200,000 cusecs.

If the two provinces want to continue with the existing withdrawal patterns, Irsa will have to allow drawdown from the two dams.

With support from the provincial governments, the authority has continued to divert about 20,000 cusecs from Indus Zone to Mangla-Chenab Zone through Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal.

Presently all main rivers — Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej — are flowing normally and the Federal Flood Commission has directed the dam management authorities to take utmost care and vigilance in operation of the dams and strictly follow filling criteria and safety guidelines.

Ahmad Fraz Khan adds from Lahore: By Wednesday evening, Punjab told Irsa that it must continue meeting its demand instead of saving water for the Rabi season.

“Punjab wants Irsa to keep releasing water from Tarbela Dam and transfer (any) shortage to Rabi season so that already sown crops can be saved,” said an official of the provincial irrigation department.

“If it means immediate start of flows from Tarbela, let it be so,” he insisted.

For the next two days, he said, the supply could come from Chashma Barrage, which was holding 240,000 cusecs. But after two days, the depletion of dams would be inevitable, except for some unforeseen weather twist which could produce additional water.

However, there is no forecast for any rain-producing system.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2014