SUKKUR: A high-level World Bank mission has emphasised release of environmental flows downstream Kotri Barrage for sustaining ecosystems in deltaic area of the Indus.

The mission led by the bank’s water resources specialist Francois Onimus said at a virtual meeting with functionaries of irrigation department that central and provincial governments should work together to ensure downstream discharge did not drop to zero level at Kotri Barrage and it remained greater than zero level to save the ecosystem, sources in irrigation department said on Friday.

The meeting was held to discuss and review progress of ongoing rehabilitation work of Guddu and Sukkur barrages.

The mission advised calibration of head regulators on off-taking canals at Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri barrages to ensure equitable distribution of water and maintaining barrages’ pond level for sustainable and reliable supply.

The WB officials expressed concern over threats to endangered Indus blind dolphin and obstruction to fish migration from the Arabian Sea to upstream of the river due to construction of hydraulic structures.

The sources said that rehabilitation and modernisation of Guddu and Sukkur barrages were being implemented under Sindh Barrages Improvement Project (SBIP) of the irrigation department which was funded by the World Bank.

The barrages’ feasible design study conducted by UK-based MMR and Turkish Atkin pointed out that main gates and head regulator gates on Guddu Barrage which had endured 55 years had become worn out, hence the barrage required replacement of gates urgently, said the sources, adding that a contract had been awarded for replacement of gates and rehabilitation of river training works.

The sources said that as per feasible study 90 years had passed to Sukkur Barrage and so much silt had accumulated in its left and right ponds that canals on the right side of the barrage could not receive their proper share of water.

It was found that six gates numbered 31, 33, 34, 36, 39 and 40 had suffered irreparable damage over the decades and their contract for replacement of gates and desilting in the barrage ponds was awarded to Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works, which had vital experience in installing gates on Guddu Barrage during its construction in 1962, said the sources.

The sources that the six gates faced the main river channel passing through the barrage and bore maximum stresses from river flows during super floods, as a result they were found to be in more dilapidated condition than the other gates.

These gates were, therefore, selected for early replacement, they said.

The existing gates were 21 feet high and weighed about 40 tonnes while the new gates’ height had been raised to 23 feet which added 10 tonnes to the weight, raising it to about 50 tonnes, said the sources.

The mission discussed barrages operation and management, technical studies, river training works, river basin water resources and river management, project management and monitoring of the project, reliability and safety of barrages and enhanced capacity of irrigation officers regarding operation, maintenance and management of barrages, they said.

The virtual meeting was attended by relevant experts.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2021