Heavy rains pushing water level higher in Mangla Dam
LAHORE: The water level in the country’s largest reservoir in terms of storage (Mangla Dam) is rising fast—almost a foot daily these days, as it reached 1,212.80 feet on Tuesday evening, following frequent rains in its catchment area. According to Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) daily reports, the water storage level in the dam was 1,199.35 feet on Aug 3 and it touched the figure of…
Lahore has been experiencing heavy rains, causing water levels in the country's largest reservoir, Mangla Dam, to rise rapidly. As of Tuesday evening, the water level reached 1,212.80 feet, increasing almost a foot daily since the beginning of August. The dam's maximum capacity is 1,242 feet, so it could reach full storage within the next 30 days if the rains persist.
An expert stated that Mangla Dam last achieved its maximum storage level around October 8 or 9 last year. Meanwhile, Tarbela Dam has already reached its maximum water conservation level of 1,550 feet, and Chashma lake has also reached its maximum storage level of 649 feet. The filling of these reservoirs is crucial for irrigation, affordable hydel power generation, and flood mitigation.
Mangla Dam, completed in 1967, initially had a live storage capacity of 5.88 million acres feet but has since decreased to 4.6MAF due to sedimentation. Following the completion of the Mangla Dam Raising Project in 2004, its storage capacity increased to 7.5MAF. The Flood Forecasting Division predicts low-level floods and potential flash flooding in hill torrents and urban areas across Punjab cities, including Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Gujrat.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
