ISLAMABAD, May 30 (ABC): The government has accelerated work on four major dam projects that will add more than 8 million acre-feet (MAF) of water storage capacity. The move aims to strengthen water security, improve irrigation management and enhance resilience against climate change.
Seasonal water flows create storage challenges
According to official data available with Wealth Pakistan, Pakistan receives nearly 80% of its annual river flows during only 92 days between June and August. The remaining 20% arrives during the other 273 days of the year. This uneven distribution creates major challenges for irrigation, flood control and water availability during dry seasons.
To tackle these challenges, the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has developed reservoirs with a combined live storage capacity of 13.168 MAF. These reservoirs help regulate water supplies throughout the year across the Indus Basin Irrigation System.
Pakistan’s three principal reservoirs are Tarbela Dam, with a live storage capacity of 5.580 MAF, Mangla Dam with 7.277 MAF, and Chashma Barrage with 0.311 MAF.
Mangla project restores lost storage
Sedimentation reduced the storage capacity of Mangla Reservoir over the years. However, the Mangla Dam Raising Project recovered a significant portion of the lost capacity by adding 2.88 MAF of water storage.
WAPDA has designated the current period as the “Decade of Dams.” Under this initiative, the authority is fast-tracking several large-scale projects to enhance Pakistan’s water storage capacity and ensure sustainable water supplies.
Four completed projects add nearly 4 MAF
Over the past decade, WAPDA completed four major projects that added 3.914 MAF of live storage capacity. These projects include the Mangla Dam Raising Project, Gomal Zam Dam, Satpara Dam and Darawat Dam.
Gomal Zam Dam contributed 0.892 MAF of storage capacity. Satpara Dam added 0.053 MAF, while Darawat Dam contributed 0.089 MAF.
Four mega dams under construction
WAPDA is currently implementing four major reservoir projects with a combined live storage capacity of 8.136 MAF.
Diamer-Bhasha Dam is the largest among them and will add 6.4 MAF of storage capacity. Mohmand Dam will contribute 0.676 MAF, Kurram Tangi Dam 0.90 MAF and Nai Gaj Dam 0.16 MAF.
According to official data, these projects will increase water availability, improve flood management and support agricultural productivity across the country.
More reservoir projects in the pipeline
The government is also planning additional reservoir projects with a combined live storage capacity of 15.88 MAF.
These projects include Sindh Barrage with 2.0 MAF, Shyok Dam Multipurpose Project with 5.5 MAF, Akhori Dam with 7.0 MAF, Chiniot Dam with 0.93 MAF and Murunj Dam with 0.45 MAF.
Experts say Pakistan must expand its water storage infrastructure to meet rising demand and address climate-related challenges. These challenges include erratic rainfall, floods and prolonged dry spells.
Monitoring systems strengthen water management
Alongside dam construction, WAPDA has expanded its hydro-meteorological monitoring and telemetry systems. The upgraded network provides real-time data on river flows, transboundary streams, reservoir levels and rainfall patterns.
The system supports faster operational decisions and improves preparedness for floods and droughts. Together, new reservoirs and improved monitoring systems will strengthen Pakistan’s long-term water security and water management capacity.
