HYDERABAD: With Guddu Barrage attaining high flood mark on Satur­day afternoon, canals’ withdrawal has been substantially increa­sed. Suk­kur Barrage, however, continues to pass medium flood.

Until Friday, both Guddu and Sukkur were passing medium flood. Guddu had already passed peak of medium flood in the last week of July.

The Sindh irrigation authorities had reduced flows in canals due to the ongoing heavy spells of monsoon rains in the country.

A flow of 44,640 cusecs was earlier being withdrawn to feed seven canals of Sukkur Barrage which has now been increased to 51,290 cusecs.

At Saturday noon, Guddu started passing high flood when its downstream discharge rose to 501,299 cusecs against the upstream discharge of 534,901 cusecs. Sukkur Barrage discharge at 6pm stood at 435,360 cusecs with the downstream discharge remaining at 382,270 cusecs.

Guddu had started passing medium flood on Aug 19 with 370,456 cusecs downstream against the upstream discharge of 394,872 cusecs.

During the ongoing flood season, Guddu passed a peak of medium flood with 390,107 cusecs discharge on July 30 first before it started showing reduction. Its flows dropped to low flood level at 6pm on Aug 19 when a discharge of 360,769 cusecs upstream and 338,598 cusecs downstream was recorded. Then it attained medium flood level with 374,056 cusecs downstream discharge on Aug 19 again.

According to irrigation figures, Sukkur Barrage had been passing medium flood since 6am on Friday, recording downstream discharge of 353,682 cusecs against upstream discharge of 398,322 cusecs. By 6pm Friday, Sukkur recorded a flow of 407,560 cusecs against downstream discharge of 360,050 cusecs.

Sindh’s right bank districts, fed by Sukkur Barrage, are witnessing peak of rice cultivation these days. In view of increased flows, canals’ withdrawals have now been increased to 51,290 cusecs.

Guddu had shown withdrawal of 23,407 cusecs for its three canals till Friday. This quantum was increased to 32,173 cusecs on Saturday morning.

Kotri Barrage’s flow stood at 172,118 cusecs upstream and 163,268 cusecs downstream on Saturday evening.

The barrage, however, remained normal as it has not received flood-level flows. Even when Guddu Barrage passed the peak of medium flood on July 30 and Sukkur Barrage was in low-flood state, the Kotri Barrage remained normal. Its flow at 6pm on Saturday was 172,118 cusecs upstream and 163,268 cusecs downstream.

The flows at Kotri have increased from 2,700 cusecs till Friday to 8,100 cusecs on Saturday.

“Withdrawals for the off-taking canals at all barrages had dropped due to rainfall spells but since rains have now stopped, the flows have again been increased to ensure adequate supplies to [irrigation] channels,” said Aziz Soomro in a telephonic conversation from Sukkur Barrage’s control room on Saturday evening.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2025