HARIPUR: The Tarbela Dam has been filled to its maximum conservation level and the surplus water is being flushed out through spillways and the tunnels, official sources told Dawn here on Tuesday.

“The reservoir touched its maximum storage capacity mark of 1,550 feet during early hours of Tuesday and the electricity generation also rose to 4,888 megawatts,” said an official source, adding the total inflow of water was recorded at 23,6700 cusecs which became surplus and was being discharged through tunnels, service and auxiliary spillways in accordance with guidance of Irsa.

Following the filling of the reservoir the dam authorities opened the both service and auxiliary spillways in the afternoon and started flushing the surplus water, the sources said, adding a total of 236,700 cusecs of water was being received in the reservoir and 207,900 cusecs being discharged.

Official sources said the dam authorities would continue discharging the surplus water during next two weeks keeping in view the weather forecast and expected inflow of water.

The three tunnels of the dam, according to its design, have 17 operating power generating units which were generating 4,888MW electricity.

According to official sources, owing to melting of snow in the catchment areas of the Indus River which has world’s four biggest glaciers, the inflow of water in the 97-sq kilometre reservoir increases simultaneously, facilitating it to touch the maximum storage capacity mark of 1,550 feet on Aug 20 every year. The reservoir’s dead storage level is 1,386 feet.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2019