Rabi crop to face 33% water shortage: IRSA

March 13, 2019: The ongoing Rabi season will have to face 33 percent water shortage instead of 38 percent earlier forecast by the Indus River System Authority.

IRSA spokesman Khalid Idrees Rana said that earlier 38 percent water shortage was forecast for the current season. However, frequent rain spells that started in January helped in overcoming the water shortage besides improving the ground level. 

The rains were also blessings for all seasonal crops, fruit orchids and vegetables, he added.

He said that currently around one million acre of feet water was available in the reservoirs. However, on the demand of Sindh and Punjab provinces water was only being discharge for drinking purpose.

He said that catchment areas had also received more snow this year and with rise in mercury, it would start melting which would help increased water inflow in the rivers.

To a question, he said that technical and advisory committee of IRSA would meet in last week of this month to review water situation for upcoming Kharif season.

Meanwhile, IRSA Wednesday released 66,500 cusecs water from various rim stations with inflow of 82,600 cusecs.

According to the data released by IRSA, water level in the Indus River at Tarbela Dam was 1,393.98 feet, which was 7.98 feet higher than its dead level of 1,386 feet. Water inflow in the dam was recorded as 21,200 cusecs and outflow as 20,000 cusecs.       

The water level in the Jhelum River at Mangla Dam was 1,125.65 feet, which was 85.65 feet higher than its dead level of 1,040 feet whereas the inflow and outflow of water was recorded as 32,900 cusecs and 18,000 cusecs respectively.

The release of water at Kalabagh, Taunsa and Sukkur was recorded as 34,000 cusecs, 33,700 cusecs and 5,100 cusecs respectively.

Similarly from the Kabul River, 13,200 cusecs of water was released at Nowshera and 4,000 cusecs from the Chenab River at Marala.

The total water storage capacity stood at 0.959 million acre feet.

(APP)