TAXILA: Water level in Khanpur Dam has dropped drastically due to persistent dry spells, causing the water level to hit a mere 33 feet above mean sea level (AMSL).

Low rains in the dam’s catchment areas have forced dam authorities to suspend water supply to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab for irrigation starting next week.

A Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) official told Dawn on Thursday that the water level at the dam was 1,943 AMSL, which is just 33 feet higher than the dead level of 1,910 AMSL.

As a result, rocks and mounds have appeared in the lake.

The official said that the water was at its lowest over the last seven years. He said due to the water supply to different civic beneficiaries of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, including the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) and seepage, the level is decreasing by 0.10 feet per day.

Outflow from the reservoir was 243 cusecs per day, which was much higher than the daily inflow of 113 cusecs.

The official revealed that the remaining water in the reservoir could meet the demand of beneficiaries, especially RCB and CDA for just 48 days. “Due to prevailing low water in the dam, supply to both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab for irrigation purposes would be suspended from Monday,” he added.

The dam authorities said the catchment area of the dam which includes Margalla Hills and Galiyat has not received enough rain, worsening the situation.

They are coordinating with civic agencies such as RCB and CDA for water rationing and other precautionary measures to meet the demands of respective residents of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Authorities fear they will have to curtail supply to Rawalpindi and Islamabad if no timely rain occurs.

Moreover, due to prevailing dry weather, the water table in Taxila and Wah has decreased sharply.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2025