HARIPUR, Feb 11: The water level in the Khanpur dam has improved as a result of the current wet spell, with the reservoir replenished to what is technically described as the crest level, official sources told Dawn here on Friday.

The spillways are opened when water reaches the emergency level of 1965ft, the sources said. Heavy rain lashing the Hazara division for last seven days has increased the water table in the Khanpur dam, one of the major sources of water supply to the capital city.

According to Friday's water reading, the reservoir's level has risen to 1955ft, with inflow recorded at 3,000 cusecs and the outflow 81 cusecs against the total demand of 48 cusecs.

If the pattern of inflow remained unchanged as a result of continuing rain and snowfall, the reservoir could be filled to the emergency level of 1965ft in the next two days, requiring the management to open spillways for safety reasons, the sources said.

They expressed the hope that, with enough storage, the dam would meet the irrigation and municipal requirements of Punjab, the NWFP and the capital city in the summer season.