View of the Sukkur Dam, formerly known as Lloyd Dam, as floodwaters pass through, following monsoon rains and rising levels of the Indus River at Sukkur, Sindh province. Photo: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan’s Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has approved a projected water deficit of up to 15 percent for the start of Kharif 2026, while pegging the province’s water withdrawals at 67.451 million acre-feet (MAF), as officials warned of continued pressures on supply despite improved reservoir storage.
The decision was taken on Tuesday at a meeting of the IRSA advisory committee, chaired by IRSA Chairman Amjad Saeed, to finalize the water availability criteria for the Kharif season (April-September).
Officials said Rim-Station inflows are projected at 103.30 MAF, including 24.48 MAF for Early Kharif and 78.81 MAF for Late Kharif.
The committee approved a deficit of 15% for the start of Kharif (April to June 10), subject to review in the first week of May 2026.
The deficit for Late Kharif was approved at 5%.
Provincial allocations include Punjab at 33,357 MAF, Sindh 30,403 MAF, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (CRBC) 0.823 MAF and Balochistan 2,868 MAF, compared to last year’s total utilization of 60,558 MAF and a 10-year average of 62,252 MAF.
The committee noted that Rabi 2025-2026 (October-March) inflows totaled 21,782 MAF, slightly below the expected 22,016 MAF, reflecting a shortfall of 1%. However, system storage stood at 2.307 MAF as of March 31, significantly higher than last year’s 0.384 MAF and the 10-year average of 1.351 MAF.
Pakistan’s meteorological department forecast normal to above-normal rainfall from April to June, especially in western and northern regions, but warned that temperatures would remain above normal across the country.
IRSA also raised the alarm over declining storage at Tarbela Dam, where actual capacity fell from 5,827 MAF in May 2022 to 5,580 MAF in March 2026, an overall reduction of almost 48% due to sedimentation. Officials ordered WAPDA to submit a detailed mitigation plan.
The committee approved the operational timelines for the T4 Tarbela Hydropower Plant, which is expected to become functional after May 7, while emphasizing close coordination to manage reservoir constraints during the ongoing construction of the T5 project.
