HARIPUR, Sept 21: The Khanpur reservoir has reached the maximum conservation level for the second time this month and the dam authorities released over 1.5 feet or 6,000 cusecs of water on Friday afternoon, officials told Dawn.

They said that due heavy rainfall on Thursday in catchment areas of the rain-fed dam, the inflow of water had increased manifold and the reservoir reached its maximum conservation level of 1,981.20 feet for the second time during the current month.

The dam authorities had on Sept 5 released about 6,500 cusecs of water at the level of 1,981 feet.The officials said the decision to release additional water was taken to create space for fresh inflow.

To avoid an emergency-like situation, the dam authorities in consultation with its beneficiaries had decided to release about 6,000 cusecs of water from the reservoir, they said.

In reply to a question, the officials said that residents and crush machine owners living downstream the banks of Harro river had been informed through loudspeakers, union and district nazims and DCOs concerned not to use the river’s bed for coming or going across.

The level of the dam recorded on Friday morning was 1,981.20 ft — 1,406.73 cusecs inflow and 143.58 cusecs outflow.

Built in early 1980s Khanpur dam was one of the few reservoirs of the country that has been fulfilling municipal as well as agriculture water needs of its beneficiaries — the NWFP and Punjab — from its 42km-long lake.

According to a water distribution formula approved by Ecnec, the Capital Development Authority Islamabad receives 50 cusecs, Facto Cement 2.1 cusecs, Heavy Industries Taxila two cusecs, Pakistan Management Organisation Julian four cusecs and the NWFP and Punjab get 50 and 39 cusecs of water for irrigation purposes, respectively.

Total losses, including seepage and evaporation, are estimated at around 100 cusecs daily.