Mangla Dam Water Level Rises Sharply After Heavy Rainfall

Mangla Dam, Pakistan's largest reservoir by storage capacity, is experiencing a rapid rise in water levels following persistent rains in its catchment area. As of August 3, the dam's water level measured 1,199.35 feet, which had surged to 1,212.80 feet by the evening of Tuesday. With the maximum conservation level standing at 1,242 feet, the dam is currently 29 feet away from its maximum capacity.

Experts predict that if the heavy rainfall persists, the reservoir could reach full storage within the next 30 days. Meanwhile, Tarbela Dam has already hit its maximum conservation level of 1,550 feet, while Chashma Lake has also reached its full storage. These rising water levels in the reservoirs are seen as a positive development for irrigation and low-cost hydropower generation.

Completed in 1967, Mangla Dam continues to play a vital role in irrigation, flood control, and power generation. However, sedimentation has reduced its live storage capacity over time, but the Mangla Dam Raising Project has since restored and expanded this capacity. The Flood Forecasting Division has issued warnings of low-level flooding in certain rivers over the next 48 hours, alongside the threat of flash flooding in hill torrents and urban flooding in major Punjab cities, including Sukkur Barrage on the Indus River, Kalabagh, Chashma, Taunsa, and Guddu barrages on the Indus, as well as Head Marala, Khanki, Shahdara, Sidhnai, and Balloki on the Chenab and Ravi rivers.

The division further anticipates the potential for flash flooding in streams near the Kabul River and hill torrents in Dera Ghazi Khan division. Urban flooding is also likely to occur in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Gujrat during the same period.