ISLAMABAD: A massive dip is expected in Indus Water System 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, reports revealed on Tuesday.
The dip is expected to start within two days and if it lasts for 7-8 days, then the Tarbela Dam will hit the dead level once again, officials in Ministry of Water said.
They were of the view that if this happens, the water shortage will swell up to 25-30 per cent against the current 18 per cent, from which Sindh and Punjab are currently coping with.
The stored water in dams, as of today, has tumbled by 85 per cent 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.
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.
Officials in Indus River System Authority have also confirmed the report saying that the dip in water inflows is being anticipated keeping in view the water flows data of recent days.
They 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.
Read more: High speed internet connectivity at K2 base camp
