Water storage in major reserviors improves
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ISLAMABAD: Water storage in major reservoirs has continued to post healthy growth, building almost one million acres feet (MAF) within the past two days.
The total storage in two reservoirs was reported at 4.905MAF on Thursday morning, up from 3.91MAF on Tuesday, showing an improvement of almost 26pc. This was, however, still on the very lower side when compared to about 11MAF of the same period last year.
The overall inflows were although declining yet significantly higher than discharges to the provinces for irrigation requirements and conserving about 230,000 cusecs per day in reservoirs.
According to the Indus River System Authority (Irsa), total river flows at rim stations were recorded at 486,600 cusecs on Thursday morning compared to total outflows of 258,800 cusecs.
All main rivers — including the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers — were flowing normal, except for the Kabul river, which flowed in low flood in Warsak-Nowshera Reach.
The conservation level at Tarbela and Mangla was reported 1495.27 feet and 1141.50 feet, respectively, that was about 55 feet and 100 feet below their respective maximum conservation levels of 1,550 feet and 1,242 feet. The total storage at 4.905MAF stood at about 36 per cent of the existing combined live storage capacity of 13.681MAF.
Irsa reported inflows of 271,300 cusecs in Indus at Tarbela against outflows of 80,000 cusecs while Kabul flows were reported at 72,600 cusecs at Nowshera. The inflows in Jhelum at Mangla were 47,500 cusecs against outflows of 10,000 cusecs while flows in Chenab at Marala were recorded at 96,200 cusecs compared to 63,000 cusecs outflows.
Meanwhile, the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) has reported that monsoon low over northwestern Madhya Pradesh and adjoining southern Uttar Pradesh had moved northwards and centered over southern Uttar Pradesh while seasonal low lied over northwestern Balochistan.
It said the trough of westerly wave over Kashmir and adjoining areas has now moved away eastwards and a fresh trough of westerly wave lied over northeastern Afghanistan.
Moderate moist currents from Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal were penetrating into upper parts of the country up to 5,000 feet.
Based on these indicators, the FFD predicted scattered wind thunderstorm and rain with isolated moderate to heavy falls and one or two very heavy falls over Punjab’s Sargodha, Lahore, Gujranwala and Faisalabad divisions in next 24 hours.
