Alarming stage as Tarbela Dam touches dead level for first time in Pakistan's history

ISLAMABAD - The water situation in Pakistan has aggravated to the very alarming situation after the water level at Tarbela Dam touched its dead level during monsoon season in July, for the first time in country's history.

The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) officials said that they never observed this critical stage during the rainy season.

IRSA spokesperson Khalid Rana, talking to a leading English daily, said that the major reason behind this dangerous situation is no good rainfall in the catchment areas of the dam during last monsoon spell.

https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/water-storage-in-major-reservoirs-plunges-to-0-89-maf/

The season started in Pakistan on time but its pathway was different from the routine route as the catchment areas did not receive good rains.

The water level in the Tarbela Dam was recorded at 1386 feet while its dead level is 1530 feet. Water inflow in the Dam stood at 151,000 cusecs while outflow 123,000 cusecs.

At Chashma point,  the water inflow was recorded at 187,900 cusecs while storage stood at 181,000 acrefeet.

Meanwhile, the water storage level in the dam was 1,122 feet against its dead level of 1,050 feet but it has also started depleting.

However, talking about overall water storage in the country, Rana said, last year in July at this time water storage level was 7 million acres feet (MAF) but this year it stands at 0.8 to one million acres feet (MAF), he said, adding that coming monsoon spell may help country to overcome the shortage.