Advisory body to meet on April 7 as rains raise water levels in major reservoirs
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:
The advisory committee of the Indus River System Authority will meet on April 7 to finalize water distribution for the provinces for the 2026 Kharif season.
The committee meeting chaired by Irsa will be attended by all members of Irsa, representatives of Wapda, Federal Flood Commission, Director General of Pakistan Meteorological Department and the four provincial irrigation secretaries.
However, the body appears incomplete as it is missing a regular member from Sindh and a full federal member from the province.
Irsa Sindh Member Mohammad Ehsan Leghari resigned on November 19, 2025 after joining the Planning and Development Department of the Sindh Government as Member (Water). His resignation is yet to be accepted by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, even after more than five months, as it needs to be sent to the federal cabinet for approval.
Sindh nominated Shafqat Wadhu, a retired chief engineer of the irrigation department, on January 28, 2026. His nomination was not approved by the federal cabinet. It is unclear whether the ministry has forwarded the proposal or whether it is still pending. Mr. Leghari will, however, be present at the IAC meeting on April 7.
Another controversial issue for Sindh is the appointment of a federal member from the province to the water regulator. The case remains pending for unexplained reasons, although both summaries were supposed to come from the Ministry of Water Resources.
Continuing rains across the country have had a positive impact on water availability, significantly improving levels in major reservoirs.
According to the Indus River System Authority (Irsa), the Tarbela Dam has almost reached its full capacity; the water level is recorded at 1,449.82 feet compared to its maximum storage capacity of 1,550 feet.
The dam currently contains 1.006 million acre-feet of usable water, reflecting a substantial increase in reserves.
The Mangla Dam also experiences significant storage, with water reserves recorded at 1.268 million acre-feet. Its current water level stands at 1,138 feet, compared to its maximum capacity of 1,242 feet, according to IRSA.
Similarly, Chashma Barrage recorded water storage of 0.171 million acre-feet. The dam has a maximum capacity of 649 feet, while the current level is 645 feet.
Water inlets and outlets in the main reservoirs remain stable.
Tarbela receives an inflow of 43,000 cusecs, with an outflow of 20,000 cusecs. At Chashma Dam, the inflow was recorded at 57,700 cusecs and the outflow at 35,000 cusecs. Mangla Dam receives 47,500 cusecs of water, while releasing 22,000 cusecs.
