KARACHI, May 8: Water flow in Sindh canals is likely to increase during next four days as releases from Tarbela Dam has improved from 39,000 cusecs to 56,000 cusecs on Thursday, said sources at Irrigation and Power department.
The sources said that at present the province was getting 29,000 cusecs of water from Tarbela against its normal supply of 51,800 cusecs causing about 43 per cent water shortage compared to the normal flows during this time.
The province was facing water shortage since April 1 and growers complained that the wheat crop now being harvested did not get its final water supply, which has affected growth of the grain size. The water shortage has also delayed cotton sowing in lower Sindh. The sources pointed out that the minimum level at Tarbela had been 1,379 cusecs for the last several days.
They said that water inflows at Guddu increased to 54,000 cusecs on Wednesday, which is likely to reach Sukkur Barrage and Kotri Barrage in about four days, improving flows in canals supplying crops.
The sources denied allegations from some growers that Sindh was not getting its due share in Indus water and said that the inflow is in accordance with the reduced level of 1,379 cusecs at Tarbela.
According to the water availability position released by the department on Thursday flows at Tarbelal has decreased to 46,900 cusecs from 54,300 cusecs. The discharge of Kabul River at Attock has decreased to 30,500 cusecs from 33,500 cusecs since Wednesday.
The report says that discharge at Gudu Barrrage has increased to 39,388 cusecs from 37,212 since Wednesday. The discharge at Sukkur Barrage has increased to 32,695 cusecs from 31747 cusecs since Wednesday. The discharge at Kotri Barrage has decreased to 4,395 cusecs from 4,630 cusecs.
The Sindh barrages position on Thursday shows that the water flow at Gudu Barrage was 39,388 cusecs upstream and 39,388 cusecs downstream. There are no withdrawals from the barrage as canals are closed for a month for maintenance. At Sukkur Barrage the flow was recorded on Thursday at 32695 upstream and 8085 cusecs at downstream. The withdrawals were 24,610 cusecs causing a shortage of 30 per cent.
Similarly, at Kotri Barrage the flow was 4395 upstream with withdrawals at 4,445 cusecs causing 64 per cent shortage.
To a question, the irrigation officials said that increase in water level at Tarbela which depends on melting of snow and rains would result in raising flow of water in Sindh barrages. The department is in daily contact with meteorological office in Skardu where temperatures have again gone down to 20 from 26 earlier.