Aamna Aamna 
pakistan faces severe water crisis as tarbela and mangla dams near dead levels
Pakistan is undergoing a severe water crisis as Tarbela Dam-water level of 1,402 feet, the highest water reservoir in Pakistan- nears its dead level. Even more alarming, this water situation has worsened with water shortages of up to 41% in rim stations and 50-55% in initial canal heads, posing threats to agricultural and domestic water supply.
The situation at Mangla Dam offers no better prognosis, with levels resting at 1,054 feet, which is only 4 feet above its dead level of 1,050 feet. As warned by officials, should water levels continue to drop, silt may reach power turbines and dramatically impair them. As a preventive measure, WAPDA has advised IRSA to commence water storage into Mangla so as to avert other complications.
Sindh Faces Worst Impact Amid Drying River Indus
The water crisis has severely affected Sindh province. PDMA has already warned of drought conditions unfolding in at least 13 districts, including the major towns of Karachi and Hyderabad. The lack of rainfall during the Rabi season has massively reduced water reserves, and experts are forecasting that the coming weeks may see water shortages in Sindh soar above 50%.
The Indus River, which serves as Sindh’s lifeline, has also dwindled in many locales, compounding the troubles of farmers and communities dependent upon it. With the Kharif season looming, crops like cotton and sugarcane are in grave danger, thus threatening food security and economic stability.
Water Allocation and Future Risks
In Punjab, 35,000 cusecs of water is being supplied, while Sindh is getting only 22,300 cusecs—far below any required scenario. IRSA had first anticipated a 35% water shortage, increased estimates, however, indicate, should water conditions-not improve-by April 10, 2025, that the shortage could worsen, threatening Kharif crops.
IRSA has now decided to start storing 3,000 cusecs of water daily in Mangla to mitigate risks so that the level could be raised to 1,070 feet to safeguard the turbines against silt damage. Meanwhile, inflows of water at Tarbela have declined to 13,800 cusecs and the outflows have remained the same at 20,000 cusecs per day, thus bringing the reservoir close to a run-of-the-river situation.
Hopes for Relief with Rising Temperature
Nonetheless, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) sent a little euphoria by predicting temperatures in the Indus River’s catchment areas, especially Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, to rise by five to seven degrees after April 10. Increased glacial melt, hence increased water flows in the Indus Basin system, means the water shortage for the Kharif season may be reduced to 20-25%.
For now, however, water storage in Pakistan has plummeted to an alarming low of 0.086 million-acre-feet (MAF), while inflows stood recorded at 64,600 cusecs and outflows at 63,500 cusecs.
