MONSOON rains in July and August have broken the dry spell in Sindh’s hilly areas, filling 33 recharge dams (weirs) where cultivation is done through spate irrigation.

Although Darawat Dam has been filled with water after a long time, the water cannot be released for cultivation in the absence of watercourses and land development.

Over 33-recharge/small dams have attained maximum storage levels. Rainwater has also replenished/recharged groundwater aquifers, from which water is lifted through pumps by growers for animal rearing and cultivation of crops.

“At some sites groundwater level has risen up to 20ft, up from 100ft before it rained in that area”, says Zahid Sheikh, irrigation department’s superintending engineer for small dams.

Sheikh goes on to say that groundwater at the current levels can be used for cultivation of over 94,143 acres in the hilly areas of Jamshoro, Dadu, Karachi and Nagarparkar. The native community usually grows millet or corn in kharif and wheat in rabi seasons, besides other crops which need less water. Construction of around 40 more re-charge dams by the Sindh irrigation department is under way.

Rain-driven spate flows and hill torrents have provided Darawat Dam with 50,000 acre feet of water ever-since its completion. Its dead level is 30,000 feet

“Rain in our area is certainly helpful for spate irrigation. Around 200-250 acres of land is cultivated with millet and corn through spate irrigation but rainfall still remains below the desired level”, says Raza Mohammad Tanghyani, a resident of Manjhand in Jamshoro district. Another resident, Saleem Abro says, “If enough rainfall is received then we can irrigate around 6,000-7,000 acres, in all, through spate irrigation.”

Climate change-induced rainfall has led to longer droughts and dry spells in hilly plains and arid regions of the province. Although Sindh has got considerable potential for spate irrigation/agriculture, it remains largely unexploited and unorganised. A recent study of the National Engineering Services of Pakistan (Nespak) show that 1.4m acres could be brought under the plough through spate irrigation in Sindh if the required infrastructure is developed.

There are 17 recharge dams in Jamshoro, Thatta and Karachi (with 8,308 acre feet of water storage), 13 in Dadu (with 3,667 acre feet) and three in the Nagarparkar area (with 3,796 acres feet).

But the use of groundwater is not equitably distributed. The more resourceful a landowner is, the more benefit he can get by lifting subsoil water, while small farmers cannot afford to pump water.

Monsoon rains-driven spate flows and hill torrents have provided the Darawat Dam 50,000 acre feet of water ever-since its completion. Its dead level is 30,000 feet.

The Darawat dam was completed by Wapda on Aug 31, 2014. It is supposed to irrigate 25,000 acres if it attains maximum level of storage i.e., 121,600 acre feet. According to the project director Iqbal Sheikh, water from the dam cannot be released for want of water-courses and absence of land development in the command area.

Irrigation department sources said the dam’s command area is to be irrigated through four canals spreading over 46 kilometres. Around four to five companies have shown their interest in land development, and after completion of a

survey, they are to submit a report as to which kind of irrigation system suits the area. Then project cost-I will be prepared and approved by the Sindh government.

Published in Dawn, Business & Finance weekly, September 19th, 2016