Rawal Lake was built in 1962 by the Punjab government, after it was decided that the country’s new capital needed a water reservoir due to water shortage in the area. Today, Punjab Irrigation Department’s Small Dams Organisation (SDO) still manages the water levels, spillways and other relevant technical aspects of the Rawal Dam.

Initially planned as way to provide water to Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the 8.8 square kilometre lake is no longer just a water reservoir.

Located within an isolated section of Malpur village in Banigala, Rawal Lake’s main source of water is Korang River, along with some small streams coming from the hills of Murree around the Ghora Gali area. The proposed life of small dams is 50 years, which for Rawal Lake, passed in 2012. However, this does not imply that the project has become ineffective.

Not only does the lake help maintain Islamabad’s underground water level, it is also a popular picnic spot and supports the federal capital’s environment friendly atmosphere.

However, due to small islands and silting, Rawal Lake has already lost around 35pc of its designed storage capacity of 42,000 acre feet, which has now been reduced to around 27,000 acre feet.

Along with these islands, Rawal Lake also caters to the undisturbed natural undergrowth and vegetation in Islamabad. Such thickets not only invite wintering migratory birds, but also support resident mammals like foxes, porcupines, wild cats, jackals and boars, and adds to the city’s natural habitats.

Visitors to the shores of the lake may also see a variety of birds, including the cormorant, herons, kingfishers and more, that add to the beauty of the lake. A small group of migratory ducks, meanwhile, have found a safe and hospitable home among the reeds.

The old road leading to the lake has been closed to the public by the SDO, which cited terror threats to the dam’s spillways.

Rawal Dam’s spillways have eight gates with the capacity to discharge 80,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water. When opened, warnings are floated to all those concerned, including the relevant police station, through SMS messages, and sirens are blown before and during the time that strong currents flow from the spillways.

These opened spillways can be seen from a bridge on Park Road, most commonly after every rainfall during the monsoon season.

Officials say the area has been closed to the public because Lake View Park has been established for picnics and to entertain families.

Lake View Park has become a popular attraction for the twin cities’ residents, and offers boating facilities as well as a calm, natural atmosphere. The park also hosts a large bird aviary, featuring both local and exotic birds.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2016