ISLAMABAD: Tarbela dam has hit its maximum storage level of 1,550-feet on Monday exactly 42 days after it had touched dead level on July 8. The dam has a storage capacity of 6.047 million acre feet (MAF).

However, the total storage in the country’s reservoirs was still 30 per cent lower than last year mainly because of low storage in Mangla dam, the country’s largest reservoir by storage capacity.

So far, the main reservoirs have gained 65.60pc of the combined live storage of 13.681 MAF leaving about 34.40pc capacity still to be filled.

The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) on Monday reported that total storage in three major reservoirs – Mangla and Tarbela dams and Chashma barrage – stood at 8.975 MAF compared to 12.87MAF on the same date last year. The total storage capacity is about 13.681 MAF.

Country’s overall water storage still 30pc lower than last year

An official said it was unlikely that reservoirs could achieve full storage capacity because water level in Mangla dam was still 71 feet lower that its maximum conservation level of 1242 feet and enough river flows were not expected to fill the dam to capacity.

He said the total inflows at rim stations were recorded at 374,200 cusec on Monday and the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) was releasing about 311,200 cusec, which meant about 63,000 cusec water was being conserved in reservoirs at present.

The Water & Power Development Authority (Wapda) separately reported that river Indus was flowing 224,800 cusec at Tarbela against its discharge of about 181,000 cusec. Kabul at Nowshera was flowing 45,800 cusecs while Jhelum flows at Mangla were reported at a meagre 29,300 cusec and hence only 10,000 cusec were being released downstream.

Flows in Chenab at Marala were reported at 74,300 cusec compared to outflows of 42,600 cusec.

It may be noted that Tarbela dam has a minimum operating (dead) level of 1386 feet and was currently at its 1550 feet maximum conservation level. Mangla’s minimum operating level is 1050 feet and its current storage stood at 1170.75 feet. Mangla dam’s maximum conservation level is 1242 feet. Its live storage at present is 2.701 MAF.

Chashma barrage has a minimum operating level of 638.15 feet and its present conservation level of 648 feet against . Live storage of Chashma currently stood at 0.227 MAF.

It was reported that rivers Indus and Kabul continued to flow in low flood at Guddu and Warsak respectively while all other rivers were flowing normal.

According to Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) a fresh monsoon low had developed over Northwestern Bay of Bengal (India) while Monday’s trough of Westerly Wave had now moved away Eastwards, whereas seasonal low still persist over Northwestern Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2018