Indus water system to see massive dip in next 24-48 hours

• A massive dip in the country’s water system is on the cards within the next 24-48 hours.
  
• This may hit the sowing of cotton in Punjab and cause damage to the same crop in Sindh, which is at maturity level.
  
• The officials at the Ministry of Water Resources say that if the dip lasts for 7-8 days, then Tarbela Dam will hit the dead level once again.
  

ISLAMABAD: A massive dip in the country’s water system is expected within the next 24-48 hours that may pound the sowing of cotton in Punjab and cause damage to the same crop in Sindh, which is at maturity level, The News reported on Tuesday.

The officials at the Ministry of Water Resources said that if the dip lasts for 7-8 days, then the Tarbela Dam will hit the dead level once again.

Officials said that if this happens, the water shortage will swell up to 25-30% against the current 18%, from which Sindh and Punjab are currently coping with. 

Stored water in dams tumble by 85%

The stored water in dams, as of today, has tumbled by 85% compared to water storage level from last year.

“Right now, we have just 1.054 million acre-feet (MAF) of water which is stored in dams against 7.1 MAF last year and the reduction in water flows in the system has also increased by 22% compared with inflows in the Indus system last year,” the officials added.

Read more: Pakistan Indus Water Commission delegation to leave for India tomorrow

As of today, the water flows in the system have been registered at 176,000 cusecs while the flows that the country received a day before, stood at 188,000 cusecs per day. 

However, in the same corresponding period last year, the water flows were measured at 225,000 cusecs.

It is to be noted that the average water inflows in the last 10 years have been measured at 218,000 cusecs per day.

Skardu's temperature

When contacted, spokesperson of Indus River System Authority, Khalid Idrees Rana, confirmed saying that the dip in water inflows is being anticipated keeping in view the water flows data of recent days. 

He said that temperature is perpetually at the lower side for many days at Skardu, adding that there is a cloud cover there which has caused reduction in water flow.