Pakistan News And Discussion-12

[Naresh]

[center]<b><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Mangla depletion threat upsets Rabi storage</span></b> <!--emo&:flush--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' /><!--endemo-->[/center]

Lahore - The less than expected Jehlum river inflows potentially threaten the storage benchmarks for Mangla Dam for the upcoming Rabi season as well as the remaining part of the Kharif season. Irrigation sources told Nation that on Saturday the water inflow into the dam was so low and the demand for irrigation purposes was pressing that nothing was retained in the dam and all the 20 thousand-cusec was allowed to pass on. The Punjab irrigation sources were further concerned over the fact that the water inflow showed a shortfall of 4110 cusecs as on Friday the inflow was 24110 cusecs while on Saturday it was 20000 cusecs.

The sources said that the normal storage bench mark for the coming season was to save at least 10 thousand cusecs daily so that when the rainy season ceases and the dry months of October till December start there is enough in the reservoir to satisfy the irrigation related needs.

The sources feared that if the water inflow levels continued to fall as was happening due to nil rainfall in the Jehlum and Chenab catchment area, the reservoir might deplete at an alarming rate not leaving much to depend upon in the Rabi season.

The sources pointed out that last year normal rainfall in the catchment area caused the Jehlum river inflow to the tune of 51000 cusecs on August 11 2006 while the outflow was 42000 cusecs with 9000 cusecs saved for the reservoir. They also pointed out that last year the dam was almost filled while on Saturday August 11 2007 the situation was such that there was addition to the resources from Friday and it stood at 1199 feet.

The sources also pointed out that in Chenab the situation was not encouraging either. In August 2006 the water level was 95000 cusecs while on Saturday it was 60000 much below the flood danger level. They also pointed out that the respite was in the case of Indus inflows into Tarbela where there were enough opportunities for the filling of the dams. It may be mentioned here that river Kabul contributes to the Indus before it reaches Tarbela.

Cheers <!--emo&:beer--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' /><!--endemo-->