Tarbela Dam almost reaches dead level
1. Situation at Mangla Dam is not different as water level has also reached 1,054ft, which is just 4ft above dead level of 1,050ft
ISLAMABAD: The country's largest reservoir, Tarbela Dam, is on the brink of reaching its dead level of 1,402 feet, exacerbating the ongoing water crisis. Water shortages at rim stations have surged to 41 percent, while shortages at canal heads range between 50 and 55 percent. The Indus River has dried up in the downstream region of Sindh, intensifying concerns over water availability.
Mangla Dam is also facing a critical situation, with its water level standing at 1,054 feet—just four feet above its dead level of 1,050 feet. Inflows at Mangla are recorded at 23,236 cusecs, while outflows are at 20,351 cusecs. To prevent silt from reaching power turbines, WAPDA has directed IRSA to begin storing water at Mangla.
“We have decided to retain 3,000 cusecs of inflows daily in Mangla, gradually raising its level to 1,070 feet to protect the power turbines from silt,” an IRSA spokesperson told The News. Meanwhile, at Tarbela, the water level has reached 1,402.09 feet, dangerously close to the dead level, with inflows at 13,800 cusecs and outflows at 20,000 cusecs per day. Punjab is currently receiving 35,000 cusecs, while Sindh is getting 22,300 cusecs amid the ongoing 41 percent water shortage in the Rabi season. Earlier estimates had placed the shortage at 35 percent.
If the situation does not improve by April 10, 2025, IRSA warns that Kharif crops could be at risk, with early cotton sowing facing severe water shortages and sugarcane production also expected to decline.
However, the Meteorological Office predicts that water flows may increase after April 10, as temperatures in the Indus River catchment areas—including Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir—are expected to rise by 5-7 degrees, accelerating ice melt. If water flows improve, the Kharif season shortage could drop to around 20-25 percent.
Currently, total water storage in the country has declined to a mere 0.086 million acre-feet (MAF). The overall system inflows stand at 64,600 cusecs, with outflows recorded at 63,500 cusecs.
