ISLAMABAD, March 13: The water in reservoirs of Tarbela and Mangla dams has almost hit the dead levels and the canal system is likely to be closed for irrigation in the next two days to recharge the reservoirs for the Kharif season starting on April 1.

An official of the water and power ministry told Dawn on Monday that water level at Tarbela had touched the dead level of 1,369 feet, while storage at Mangla Dam had reached 1,050.7ft, 10.7ft above its dead level.

The Mangla dam might touch its dead level on Tuesday, he said.

As a result, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) on Monday closed the Chashma-Jhelum canal.

Water withdrawal through the Thal canal by Punjab was reduced to 7,000 cusecs from 25,000 cusecs of a day earlier.

Sindh’s water indent from the Indus system has been reduced to 22,000 cusecs from 35,000 cusecs.

The canal closure due to full utilization of the country’s water storage would not affect any crop because the provinces were in the “final watering phase,” Irsa sources said.

The sources said rains had started at almost a countrywide level and the water would be stored for the Kharif season. They said Kharif crops required more water than Rabi.

It was likely that the Kharif season would start with storage of 0.5 to one million acre feet of water, as the provinces died not require more water to wind up the Rabi season, they said.

The sources said Irsa had forwarded a proposal to the provinces earlier this month to reduce water discharges from the dams so as to continue watering till March 25.

However, the provinces suggested that their share be enhanced for 10 days because they were in the final stage of crop watering. As a result, Irsa increased discharges in the Indus system from 49,000 cusecs to 57,000 cusecs per day.