The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has issued a fresh update on Pakistan’s water situation, highlighting growing pressure on river flows.
According to the latest report, water outflow across the country’s river system has surpassed inflow, while total storage in major dams currently stands at 3.936 million acre-feet, signalling a tightening water balance. The report states that the inflow into the reservoirs was 92,200 cusecs, while the outflow was 95,500 cusecs.
Water storage levels include 1.57 million acre-feet in Tarbela Dam, 2.11 million acre-feet in Mangla Dam, and 0.24 million acre-feet in Chashma Barrage. The provinces have also been informed about the daily water distribution.
According to IRSA, Sindh is receiving the highest share of 50,000 cusecs of water, followed by Punjab with 44,700 cusecs. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is receiving 2,300 cusecs, while Balochistan is receiving 500 cusecs.
It is worth noting that heavy rains across the country since the start of April have significantly improved reservoir water levels, with dam water levels continuing to rise.
At the start of the current month, IRSA reported that substantial water storage had been accumulated in Tarbela, Mangla, and Chashma.
In the first week of April, the water level in Tarbela Dam reached 1,449.82 feet, while its maximum storage capacity is 1,550 feet. The dam currently holds 1.006 million acre-feet of usable water. The inflow is 43,000 cusecs, while the outflow stands at 20,000 cusecs.
At Mangla Dam, the current water level has been recorded at 1,138 feet, compared to its maximum capacity of 1,242 feet. Water storage has reached 1.268 million acre-feet. The inflow here is 47,500 cusecs, while the outflow is 22,000 cusecs.
Meanwhile, the water level at Chashma Barrage stands at 645 feet, close to its total capacity of 649 feet. It currently stores 0.171 million acre-feet of water, with an inflow of 57,700 cusecs and an outflow of 35,000 cusecs.
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