TAXILA: Water level at Khanpur Dam has reached the red mark which is why the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) decided to open spillways of the dam for the third time during the week to create cushion for the inflow of water after a heavy wet spell in Khanpur Dam’s catchment areas including Murree, Ayubia and other hilly areas in upper Hazara.

Khanpur Dam authorities, in a statement, announced that they would open the spillways soon after water level in the reservoir reached the red mark.

The spillways were opened at around 3pm and so far, 19,800 cusecs of water has been released from the dam to accommodate water inflow from catchment areas.

Official sources said the reservoir reached its maximum conservation level which is why they opened the dam’s spillways.

Over 19,000 cusecs of water released to accommodate inflow from catchment areas

The dam not only provides drinking water to Islamabad and Rawalpindi, but is also a source of irrigation in some parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

Officials said there would no longer be a shortage of water in Rawalpindi and Islamabad and for irrigation purposes as well.

The dam’s high water level will also help in maintaining groundwater level from Khanpur to Attock. Officials said owing to the two-day wet spell, water inflow in the rain-fed reservoir will touch its maximum conservation level of 1,982 feet above mean sea level on Friday morning, leaving little space for emergency inflow.

“Since there is forecast for more rainfall and rainwater from the recent showers is flowing to the reservoir, we have decided to operate the spillway at 1981.3 cusec feet,” an official said.

He said Wapda authorities, through local administration of respective areas, have directed residents of low-lying areas to move to safer places as spillways of the dam will be opened after some time.

“After opening of the spillways, the water level at Haro river would rise and water could overflow from the banks of the stream,” he said and dispelled the fear that water released from Khanpur Dam would create problems for the downstream population of Khanpur, Taxila, Hassanabdal and Attock.

With more rainfall expected during the month of September, the spillways could be opened again this month. Records available with Wapda authorities that stretch back to 2011 show that a maximum number of the dam’s spillways were opened 20 times.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2022