ISLAMABAD – The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) on Saturday started canals closures for annual maintenance and de-silting and canals would remain closed till January 30, 2021.
As per the schedule, Director Operation and Spokesman IRSA Khalid Idrees Rana said that the Mangla command canals would be closed from Saturday till January 13 in stage wise, and Tarbela command canals would remain closed from January 10 to 30, 2021.
Under the canal closure programme, he said Punjab’s lower Jhelum and Rasul Qadirabad Link would remain closed from Saturday to Jan 12 while Qadirabad Baloki Link from Sunday to Jan 13, central Bari Doab canals from Sunday to Jan 13 and Lower Bari Doab, Baloki, Sulemanki Link from Dec 29 to Jan 15.
Similarly, Upper Pakpattan canal, and Eastern Siddiqia canal would remain closed from Dec 30 to Jan 16, while Upper Jhelum canal from Jan 12 to 29 and Lower Chenab canal (except Jhang branch), Upper Bahwal canal from Jan 13 to 30.
Jhang Branch canal will close from Sunday to Jan 13, while Upper Bahawal would remain closed from January 13 to 30.
He said likewise, Tarbela command canals would remain closed during Rabi season 2020/2021. As per programme, Thal and Lower Bahawal canals would be closed from January 13 to 30, 2021, while Trimmu canal and Trimmu Sidhnai would remain closed from Jan 10 to Jan 27, while SMB Link canal and Sidhnai canal from Jan 11 to Jan 28, Lower Pakpattan canal from Jan 12 to Jan 29, and Lower Bahawal from Jan 13 to Jan 30.
Sindh’s Kotri barrage would remain closed from Dec 26 to Jan 10, 2021 and Sukkur barrage from Jan 6 to Jan 20.
According to the water discharge plan, the authority would release 10,000 to 12,000 cusecs of water from Tarbela Dam and 8,000 cusecs from Mangla Dam to meet drinking water requirements, he added.
Irsa releases 61,700 cusecs water
Indus River System Authority (IRSA) on Saturday released 61,700 cusecs water from various rim stations with inflow of 39,800 cusecs.
According to the data released by IRSA, water level in the Indus River at Tarbela Dam was 1473.66 feet, which was 81.66 feet higher than its dead level of 1386 feet. Water inflow in the dam was recorded at 19,600 cusecs and outflow at 45,000 cusecs.
The water level in the Jhelum River at Mangla Dam was 1164.00 feet, which was 124.00 feet higher than its dead level of 1040 feet whereas the inflow and outflow of water was recorded at 8,500 cusecs and 5,000 cusecs respectively.
The release of water at Kalabagh, Taunsa and Sukkur was recorded at 58,700, 20,900 and zero cusecs respectively. Similarly, from the Kabul River a total of 7,800 cusecs of water was released at Nowshera and 3,500 cusecs released from the Chenab River at Marala
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