Cautious optimism over water levels

With low water levels at dams supplying drinking water to the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, millions of people are banking on efficient water management this year in order to avoid the shortages experienced last year, a water official told IRIN on Monday.

The main dams supplying drinking water to the populous Punjab province are the Simli dam, situated 15 km from the capital, the Khanpur dam, 60 km northwest of Islamabad and the Rawal dam in the capital. "There are serious concerns over the water levels of these dams," section officer at Pakistan's Ministry of Water and Power, Kamran Farooq Ansari said.

"We have heard that farmers have been protesting in the Khanpur area as the water supply there is used for watering citrus orchards," he explained. Last year the Capital Development Authority (CDA) was forced to limit water supplies to households across the city and officials say they cannot rule out curbs this year.

The problem of water shortages in Pakistan has been long running as the nation grapples with the after effects of a three-year drought. In the southern city of Karachi, some four million people were left without drinking water. There is however, hope that the meteorological office that the situation may improve.

"This year we are expecting near to normal rains," director of the Meteorological office in Islamabad, Anjum Bari told IRIN. The expected rainfall in the capital, Islamabad is 675 mm between June 15 and September 15. "We have received 143 mm in June already which is nearly double that of the expected target of 80mm," he said. The expected level of rainfall in the rest of the country is 137.5 mm per area based on the polygon method of calculation.

Meanwhile, water levels at the Tarbela dam 60 km northwest of the capital were bringing renewed hope for the farming community. The dam which supplies water to the Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan and North West Frontier Province (NWFP) was at an acceptable level, according to Ansari. The dead level at Tarbela is 1,369 ft. But the level stands at 1,428.65. "This is what we expect at this time of year," he explained.

The Mangla dam, located 100 km southeast of Islamabad, is a main supplier of water for agricultural use in the Punjab province and also acts as a backstop. With a dead level of 1,040 ft, the present amount of water is 1,185.80 ft, according to the latest figures at the weekend.