Water issues faced by Pakistan

The alarming water issues that require immediate solutions are, Water shorter, hydro-power shortage, Floods, rapid silting of reservoirs, preventing salinity in the Indus basin, one million small tube wells indiscriminately pumping huge ‘saline drainage effluent as groundwater’ for irrigation use that increase salinity, Water wastage in the 150 years old, incompatible and obsolete canal irrigation system requiring modernization, no drainage system to evacuate salinity, undertaking Integrated Comprehensive Water Management to save water, Water shed Management of Indus River to control Silting of reservoirs and selecting multipurpose dam site.

 General issues are;

1.     The Kalabagh Dam hydraulic design and its dam site created political and technical controversies. The KBD Consultants recommended 100 days low-level silt sluicing hydraulic design whereas WAPDA, under the tailored TOR insisted for 50 days restricted mid-level sluicing design. Status quo prevailed on political controversy for 37 years as no other dam was considered to be built though feasibility of Basha was ready in 1981, about 31 years ago. Basha Dam will take another 10 years. The result for absence of dam is flood havoc of 2010, crippling load shedding, water shortage and economic destruction. More floods are expected in the absence of Katzarah Dam, Guroh Dop Dam and Raised Fateh Barrage. Kalabagh is not the dam site as its capacity-inflow ratio indicates. There is best site for raised barrage only three miles upstream of KBD—with a unique combination of low dam and barrage over it. I prepared unique substitute for KBD in 1994. It is now resubmitted. 

2.     Climate change is a serious threat. It will affect rivers flow. First more river discharge and in the second phase less discharge. The building of dams for both phases is a dire necessary. Plan multipurpose dams to increase greenery. I recommend the 35 maf Katzarah Dam and the 8.5 maf Guroh Dop Dams. If Kazarah is not built, Pakistan will lose two-third of its storage potential, waste floodwater and India would assume we do not need water.   

3.     Has any Master plan for flood control, hydropower generation and silt control projects conceived? If so, name the feasible dams with storage capacity.

4.     Rapid silting of reservoirs is the greatest danger to the useful life of our limited reservoirs. There are no dam sites on Kabul, Jehlum and Chenab Rivers. Tarbela and Mangla gross storage silted up by 6.5 maf that affected IWT replacement storage, the Water Accord and created shortage of water. It affects agriculture production. Had any steps for Water shed management taken to reduce silt in the Indus? This is necessary to increase life of Basha Dam and other on its downstream. The source of silt in the Indus, according to the study conducted by Dr Attaullah, appointed by the World Bank, is the highly erodible soil of Skardu valley. Katzarah will submerge the silt generating area in Skardu valley, stop silt flow by working as Water shed Management Dam. Please seriously consider it. Katzarah  is recommended by the Government of Sindh, and the Parliamentary and Technical Committees appointed by the President. In this respect, I do not agree with the views of WAPDA to ignore Katzarah on the grounds that Baltic culture will be submerged. The unique technical merits of Katzarah cannot be ignored. Moreover, the Government should make decision to build or not to build Katzarah and not WAPDA after considering its unique and multipurpose technical merits. WAPDA is habitual in creating controversies from day one. Will WAPDA prefer that Pakistan should go water scarce, its 18 crores population may suffer hunger, but Baltic culture should not be displaced? Should 35 maf floodwater go waste by not building Katzarah?  Can two-third water storage potential be sacrificed?  Which technical flaws WAPDA has found in Katzarah? This shows WAPDA must jointly work with IRSA at Islamabad.

5.     IRSA declared its storage water requirement as 22 maf. Which feasible dams would create 22 maf of storage? WAPDA should name the dams without Katzarah.

6.     Please note that Akhori Dam is rejected by Dr Pieter Lieftnick as stated in his report Vol-I on the grounds that it has weak foundation for a dam height of 250 feet, but now WAPDA has raised its height to 420 feet, increasing storage capacity, involving huge water diversion in short period, ignoring Dr Lieftnick’s  recommendations.  Akhori involves earthwork more than two times of Tarbela Dam. Moreover, Dr Pieter Lieftnic says, to divert huge Indus water in two months, the height of Tarbela Dam shall have to be raised by 15 feet. Is that possible?

7.     Water Accord paras 2, 4, 6, 7, 14 (e) of IRSA Act is not implemented for the past 20 years. On the contrary about 6.5 maf of gross storage is lost due to rapid silting. Thus water shortage problem is not yet solved. Let IRSA and WAPDA jointly work at Islamabad to solve issues.

8.     IRSA is responsible to implement Water Accord under para 13, but it is given no powers. IRSA should be given powers. At the same time, WAPDA Head quarter may be shifted to Islamabad for close coordination with IRSA to implement Water Accord and to replenish lost storage to revive IWT and remove water shortage. This is why Chairman WAPDA is made ex-officio Member IRSA. On the expiry of the present non-professional Chairman WAPDA, the next Chairman should be experienced irrigation engineer to actively participate and foresee these water issues and help solving them. I recommend Riaz Ahmad Khan Advisor—the most suitable and experienced water resource engineer who knows these problems.

9.     Prepare a Master plan to control floods, solve water shortage, hydro-power shortage, rapid silting of reservoirs, salinity, and water wastage. It is direly essential to save huge wastage of water in the canal system that is 150 year old, incompatible and obsolete wasting about 45 to 50 maf of water. Moreover, new area is also to be brought under irrigation,  preferably  Kachi plain, to meet food needs of the expanding population. It is IRSA, WAPDA and PARC joint responsibility to avoid delay. I discovered Khajuri Kach dam site in 1959, started work on it but WAPDA delayed its completion till 2012.

10.  It is surprising that the world’s largest contiguous canal irrigation system is without its integral component of drainage system to control and remove saline drainage effluent. The canal irrigation system requires protection against salinity, sodicity and water logging. Drainage is essential part of irrigation, but is missing. Tile drainage will protect land from getting infertile otherwise water will be of no use when Indus basin goes saline waste.

11.  Two mega drainage projects of SCARPs and NDP based on wrong project concept of tube well to evacuate and control salinity failed one after the other. Later on, these were abandoned. It appears nobody could conceive the correct technical definitions of Drainage. Similar is the case of defining Irrigation, Leaching and Water Management. I can provide recognized technical definitions to correctly conceive project concept if asked for. Projects should be prepared as per their technical definitions, adopting correct project concept. Therefore, it is vital that Food and Agriculture department, WAPDA, IRSA must jointly work at Islamabad as water is basic input of agriculture.

12.  Farmers after knowing that groundwater is available installed more than one million private small tube wells, indiscriminately pumping about 50 maf of injurious saline drainage effluent as groundwater for irrigation. This injurious drainage effluent injects about 350 million tons of injurious salts each year into the soil rendering it infertile. The process of salinity is going on gradually and invisibly. The Indus basin is turning into saline waste. Over and above, the one million tube wells could be consuming about 2000 MW of power.

13.  Lacy canal system has become obsolete and highly wasteful besides incompatible to meet intensive crop water requirements in time and in proper dozes. Silting shows canal has failed. It needs modernization by carrying out integrated comprehensive water management (ICWM) as per its true definition. The canal system may need redesigning as per Mannings Formula with silt carrying velocity. Let us consider If 20 maf of water is saved by lining the obsolete canal system, then, will it be possible to use the saved water to bring new area outside the command or the saved water used on the existing crops?  Moreover, the one million miles of water courses be replaced by pipe supply to avoid seepage losses, evaporation losses and theft. Use sprinkler and drip irrigation methods to save more water. Abandoned the wasteful and obsolete Warabandi. This will again save water with in the old command area. How and where to use the saved water? All water losses are to be removed in view of para 14 ( e ) of the Water Accord – a legal binding. Therefore, ICWM is necessary.

Indian water threat is hanging over our heads as India has built 32 water projects.

14.  Salinity and sodicity is a great problem. This needs control by maintaining water table and evacuating excessive salts out of the area. This requires surface and sub-service tile drainage. After leaching the soil, evacuating salinity, reclaiming land, the return drainage effluent from the reclaimed soil would be useable for irrigation on the downstream.

15.  All natural drains in the country are blocked by encroachments in violation of the Canal and Drainage Act of 1857. This needs revival. Sindh is a drainage bowl of the Indus basin. I understand flood water of 2010 and rainwater 2011 is still standing in pockets as natural drains are encroached.  

16.  All Pakistan Grand Canal from Chashma barrage proposed by me in 1961 was ignored. The gravity flow canal would have passed through Sibi Town, irrigating the whole of Kachi plain, besides other provinces. Kachi canal from Mithan Kot failed due to poor planning, and now is taken off from Taunsa barrage still depriving large area of Baluchistan. Is Chashma site not a great loss forever? Can we do something now?

17.  I understand there are huge losses (about 16 maf) due to theft/unauthorized water use in Indus River from Chashma to Kotri. Investigate these losses. Indus River needs channelization after building Basha Dam and Katzarah Dam. It will reclaim about 3 to 3.5 million acres of fertile land from its 14 miles wide waterway. Grow forest on recovered land.

18.  Pakistan is not a member of the UN Watercourses Convention. Why? Get membership. It  will help solving water issues with disputing countries like India and next Afghanistan.

Recommendations

Such series of meetings for the first time, have initiated steps to solve chronic water issues under the chair of Riaz Ahmad Khan, technical advisor and other experts from all professional organizations -- a right step to solve chronic issues.  I would also recommend hiring foreign company, like HARZA for detailed preparation of projects. HARZA worked in the Indus basin for 40 years as General Consultants to the Ministry of Water, and WAPDA. Let they work on new projects with IRSA to implement Water Accord and solve other water issues. Alternately, Chinese Consultants be considered. The current discussion will prove more helpful if written views are given by the participants in case where they disagree. Money or no money, project concept for solving water issues must be conceived and be ready. There should be Constitutional provision to solve these issues in 5 year plans each Government. Political parties should include this in their mandate. This implementation falls under Article 38 of the Constitution that may further be amended.

  

It is surprising that Army has banned the issue of GTS maps from the Survey of Pakistan. Water Resource Engineers cannot plan without the GTS maps. The ban should be removed from Engineers. They should be allowed to place indents on the Survey of Pakistan as before. I found GTS maps as seven wonder of the world. A gift left by the British.

Engr. Fateh ullah Khan Gandapur                                                 Dated May 26, 2012

Former Chairman IRSA

Mobile 0300-5920641.

Investigation of John Kerry alarming report on India acquiring ability to store enough water at critical moment in the growing season. perennial Replenishment of 6.5 maf replacement storage by India lost to silting, and unaccounted storage created by India under technical definitions.

Indus Waters Treaty.

In the last meeting the Commissioner Indus Waters Treaty Pakistan informed the committee that India has not created more live storage on our rivers in 32 hydraulic structures, including dams. He said that water stored by India is even less than what is allowed under the Treaty. It is however surprising that all the Daily News papers like DAWN and the NEWS report that India has created much more live storage than as allowed in the 32 hydraulic structures including big dams. At the same time US Senator John Kerry alarming report to US Senate on India acquiring ability to store enough water at critical moment for Rabi and early Kharif indicates scarcity of water to be created by India by holding enough water, as India can limit the supply of water to Pakistan. How one should estimate the quantity of “enough water” that India could with hold to affect Pakistan Rabi supplies that range between 36 to 38 maf? Excerpt from John Kerry report is;

“India has acquired the ability to store enough water to limit the supply of water to Pakistan at critical moment in the growing season”

Senator John Kerry feared water war on this account. It therefore indicates substantial storage. Present water availability situation indicates that there is more than 40 per cent water shortage at the critical moment in this growing season. This creates doubt though one may blame climate change. IRSA has therefore called Advisory Committee meeting on 5^th June to examine the water situation.  John Kerry report indicates creation of enough storage that may affect Rabi and early Kharif. There is therefore need to find true situation,

In order to know the truth, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may write to India how much live storage India created from all unaccountable hidden sources under technical definitions.  

I believe unaccountable hidden storage is created by India in the guise of technical definitions, such as, pondage, surcharge storage, operating pool and run-of-river even that includes pond. India may be requested to let us know the aggregate storage on account of technical definitions. This is necessary to know as India does not count storage in this form. The Treaty allows 2.85 maf of water storage to India on our rivers whereas India has created large storage under these definitions as part of design and not as violation of Treaty. India has acquired the ability to store enough water to affect our Rabi and early Kharif crops. The present water shortage has created doubt that India may have created extra storage by adopting a technical trick. The height of dam and its hydraulic design is fixed by India according to their discretion. The Government may investigate to know what John Kerry means by enough water, and how much more storage water, India created under the definitions that are unaccounted.

The storage created under the technical definitions may apply to multipurpose big storage dam but not to a project on run-of-river. The 2.85 maf water storage allowed under the Treaty should also include unaccounted storage created under the technical definitions.

The second issue is Replacement storage created under the Treaty at Tarbela and Mangla have already silted up by 6.5 maf. This has rendered the Treaty inefficacious. The lost replacement storage needs perennial Replenishment to revive the Treaty. Please examine this aspect in detail. The Foreign Ministry may take up the case with India on the two issues.

18 chronic Water issues to be seriously studied.

Besides the above, the 18 vital water issues raised by me may be discussed point by point to reach joint and definite conclusions. Anyone who differs may submit his views in writing. Verbal views have no record.

  

Engr Fateh ullah Khan.  Gandapur.

Former Chairman IRSA                                                                     Dated 31.5.2012

Mobile  0300-5920641                                                                                                                                  

Copy to all Members with reference to the Secretary Water and Power letter No W1-4(20)/2011 dated May 31, 2012 for examination in the light of John Kerry report that India built 32 hydraulic projects including dams and the unknown aggregate storage created by India in these hydraulic structures in the guise of technical terms or definitions like, pondage, surcharge  storage, operating pool and run-of-river.

The repercussions created by 6.5 maf silting of Tarbela and Mangla may also be discussed what next step is to be taken for their perennial replenishment as we surrendered perennial flow to India

.

The allowable storage to be created by India under the Treaty includes all other storage created by the running of hydraulic structures.

Copy to Secretary Water and Power for information.

Copt to Riaz Ahmad Khan Technical Advisor WAPDA House Lahore for information. I request written views of Members may be recorded who have different views for record. The meetings may continue till all 18 water issues are discussed and conclusion arrived.

Warning

The country severely suffers from severe load shedding, this destroyed economy. The country suffers from acute water shortage, rapid silting of reservoirs, injurious salinity and sodicity, devastating floods, huge water losses. It suffers from wrong planning and inefficiency that creates indefinite controversies. KBD controversy, Kachi Canal shifting alignment, wrong project concepts adopted in SCARPs, NDP, lack of sub-surface and sub-surface drainage, and no water management. These water issues and others are to be solved.    

 

To,

            The Secretary,

            Ministry of Water and Power, Government

            Government of Pakistan, Islamabad.

Subject- Articles written by MR. Fatehullah Khan Gandapur pointing 18 water issues.

Reference Secretary Water and Power letter No. W1-4(20)/2011 dated May 31, 2012

I am attaching 18 serious Water and Power issues for solution. Each issue is as serious as the present energy shortage/load shedding that ruined the country. These issues are besides the issue of 6.5 maf replacement storage lost to silting in the IWT and the unaccountable storage created by India under technical definitions given in Appendix-D of the Treaty.

The Kalabagh Dam’s 37 years bitter controversy, and the absence of dams for 37+10=47 years, has caused devastating floods in 2010 and the present crippling load shedding that destroyed economy besides creating water shortage.  Basha Dam feasibility was established in 1981 but WAPDA did not build it under its policy of “Kalabagh Dam or no other dam”.

I have conceived a unique hydraulic design as substitute for Kalabagh Dam with unique benefits, costing about $2.5 to 3 billion. The project involves no land acquisition, no land compensation and no population moment. The project consists of 100 feet low dam with 60 feet barrage on its crest. The dead storage created by the 100 feet dam will silt up and the barrage will create 3.4 maf live storage to be repeatedly filled as the annual flow is about 93 maf. It will generate about 1500 to 6000 MW of hydropower on run-of-river to be completed in 3 years. The reservoir will be within the Indus River valley up to RL 860 feet. The resevoir will extent to 7 miles short of Attock gorge in the valley. The site of Raised Fateh Barrage is about 3 miles on the upstream of Kalabagh Dam site within the Indus River valley at elevation 700. The project would be free of controversy. 

The multipurpose Raised barrage would serve as short term, face saving, water and power project far better than KBD.

The Raised barrage as substitute for KBD, is one of the 18 water issues, requiring discussions, solutions and implementation. It is surprising that out 12 top organizations that deal with water for Agriculture are silent about these water issues. Status quo prevails.            

Engr. Fateh ullah Khan  Gandapur                                                            June 3, 2012

Former Chairman IRSA

Copt to;

Riaz Ahmad Khan Technical Advisor, WAPDA Lahore. In conclusion, the Committee may give its brief recommendations to the Ministry on each issue for further action.

Chairman IRSA.  IRSA may indicate how would it meet its 22 maf storage requirement? IRSA is responsible for the regulation of Indus flows, and the storage dams form part of Indus water regulation. It is suggested that WAPDA Head quarter may be shifted to Islamabad for close coordination with IRSA in implementing Water Accord. For this reason, the IRSA Act made Chairman WAPDA as ex-officio Member IRSA. Both organizations should be at one station. The IRSA Act also indicates that Chairman WAPDA should be professional to actively participate in complicated technical discussions.

Minister for Water and Power may take serious notice of these issues. Lesson should be learnt from 2010 flood devastation and the crippling load shedding. These issues may be solved with Constitutional support in view of Article 38.

Copy to: Minister for Foreign Affairs. The storage issues created by the silting of replacement storage of 6.5 maf under IWT at Tarbela and Mangla need settlement. The unaccountable storage created by India under the technical definitions in Appendix – D for the 32 hydraulic structures built by India including dams may be asked from India.

Senator John Kerry report to US senate on water shortage created by India in 32 hydropower generation projects is very alarming as he fears water war between Pakistan and India. It therefore needs investigation what it practically means? An excerpt from the report is;

“India has acquired the ability to store enough water to limit the supply of water to Pakistan at critical moment in the growing season”.

Please derive the sense out of John Kerry report what it means.

Rod-Kohi area of Kulachi Tehsil has floodwater rights in

 Gomal Zam Dam. Water rights area of Rod-Kohi under Gomal Zam Dam cannot be ignored from irrigation in view of Riwaj-abpashi if storage water is available

Rod-Kohi area  has water rights in Gomal Zam. No one can deny these water rights after controlling floodwater of Gomal Zam Dam. Floodwater after storage belongs to Rod-Kohi area. Therefore no Rod-Kohi area should remain un commanded. The network of canal system should include this left over water rights area. The Rod–Kohi area covers almost the entire area of Kulachi Tehsil subject to the quantity of water available each year. As a matter of principle the water rights area must form project boundary. The network of canals should be planned to cover the entire area that has water rights under Rod-Kohi. The Rod-Kohi area has legal water rights under the Rewaj-ab-pashi. The Rod-Kohi irrigation means floodwater irrigation from hill torrents. Water to the new area can only be given after covering the entire Rod-Kohi area.

There are two types of water rights. The one area almost gets perennial water on a very small scale and the other area under Rod-Kohi gets floodwater that is now stored. Both the types of areas have the rights in storage water of Gomal Zam. New area if any should be given the last priority. Project Manager letter reveals that about 66000 hecters of land would be covered by the project. 66000 Hecter of land is a lot of land. This is equal to about 163,000 acres of land.  Moreover, if sprinkler and drip irrigation for irrigation is used, water will be saved and then water may extend to new areas. All this should be planned from day one. Extension of the system later on would be a severe problem. The infighting may be bloody.  

It is not understood why some water rights area is ignored of its water rights by the project planners. I believe this must be due to ignorance. This will result in bloodshed as no one would be ready that its area under Rod-Kohi is ignored. After the construction of dam, the price of land has raised from about 20-50 rupees per Kanal to Rs 35000- per Kanal and will further increase.

The Project Director has revealed that revenue record shows that 107 Mouzas have water rights on Gomal Zam, against this, 67 Mouzas have been considered in the planning of irrigation system within the project boundary. It is said this blunder is committed by the then Government of NWFP. It needs correction at the earliest. Water should not be released till then otherwise burning problem would be created.

During the planning of irrigation system, it was estimated that the average inflow is 674 Mm/year, whereas, the network of canal system within the project boundary is estimated to use only 400Mm/year. This shows the remaining inflow of 200Mm/year will remain unutilized in the system. It appears that the water rights area of Rod-Kohi is ignored. This may now be set right.

It will be impossible to extend the canal irrigation system to the area once ignored as the US aid will stop. Now there is chance to revise the project and continue getting aid from USA for the water rights area ignored. Once the US aid stops, it will be impossible to extend the project. The farmer then would never allow extending the system. The upper riparian will think their water rights are being usurped to favor lower area. Besides this, there will be no money. I am of the opinion that the work should continue till all water rights area is brought under canal system using 674 Mm/Year.

The area having water rights in Rod-Kohi floodwater cannot be ignored when 200Mm/year water is available.    

I may inform you that I discovered the Khajuri Katch dam site on Gomal River in 1959. But WAPDA could not complete Gomal Zam even in 2012 though the initial work at dam site was started by me in 1959. The work on old dam site on upper most reach of Gomal River was abandoned. Now in this project, as I understand more than one-third of the project area that has water rights in floodwater in Gomal Zam is ignored.  This means, the project is made inherently disputable from day one. This dispute which may take very long time must be avoided as stored water is time-based and very precious. Irrigation of this area will change the very life pattern of the people by removing poverty.

The area needs rapid development by mechanized farming. It needs cultivation by modern lines. The people have land in pieces. I suggest some sort of partnership with investors, especially the Arab world. The farmers should give land say for 40 or 50 years and the investors may do the rest of all developments. The investor share as fixed in cash or in kind may be taken away by them. The ownership of land will remain with the owners. He will get benefit according to his share of land. Let economist improve the suggestion.

Engr. Fateh ullah khan

Former Chairman IRSA.    Mobile  0300-5920641               Dated June 7. 2012    

                  

To,

            Riaz Ahmad Khan, Technical Advisor, GM (C&M) water WAPDA,Wapda House Lahore

Subject.   Articles written by Mr Fateh ullah Khan Gandapur

Reference Secretary Water and Power letter NoW1-4(20)/2011 dated May, 2012

My views after two meetings on 18 water issues (copies of issues sent to all) were discussed hastily and superficially in about 4 to 5 hours in two sittings. Each issue in consequences is as serious as the floods of 2010 and the ongoing crippling load shedding. The committee discussed some issues swiftly, where WAPDA representative was arguing as an advocate to defend the crimes of his client. This is not the way to decide the fate of each burning issue costing billions of dollars, involving the economy, the food needs, and existence of the country, and the well fair of the people.

All the 18 Water issues are very serious. The severe load shedding is about to create bloody revolution. WAPDA is responsible for the devastation of floods of 2010, the current power shortage, the water shortage, and the rapid silting of Terbela Reservoir. for not allowing the building of Basha Dam whose feasibility was established in 1981. WAPDA stuck to its ego for building Kalabagh Dam with tailored TOR for building the Left bank canal with 15,000 cusecs discharge for Punjab. Refer to KBD Project report June 1991. WAPDA fixed wrong dam site at Kalabagh with tailored design that was kept secret from the then Government of NWFP for its wrong, restricted mid-level silt sluicing hydraulic design and the left bank canal. WAPDA did not allow building of another dam in 37 years, when 4 dams could be built in 37 years. This negligence caused devastation. WAPDA did that with the nation which the terrorists could not do. Besides the above, Kachi canal  planed by WAPDA failed, SCARPs failed, NDP failed, Kalabagh made controversial by selecting and fixing dam at wrong site  with wrong design and now the 35 maf, unique Katzarah Dam is made controversial by frightening the people of the area, the authorities of Northern areas, and the Government of Pakistan. WAPDA hides merits and announces demerits.

In case of Katzarah Dam discovered by me in1960-61 and repeatedly pointed out to WAPDA, WAPDA only  prepared its wrong and exaggerated environmental aspect with a view to show that it is not feasible environmentally. WAPDA did not touch the unique, one in four, technical benefits of 35maf storage that is 6 times of KBD, controlling flood in the Indus, huge power generation and the unique benefit of controlling silt from Skardu valley that would increase life span of all downstream reservoirs. Pakistan has no major reservoirs except Katzarah, Basha and Guroh Dop. All other reservoirs are either very small or problematic. There is no dam site on Kabul River, Jehlum River and Chenab River. Indus is the only river and Katzarah is the only unique dam site on the Indus that would also work as water shed management dam. Let WAPDA study my articles on Katzarah Dam, Guroh Dop Dam, Mirkhani Dam and Fateh barrage sent to all concerned. Please get copies from IRSA or the Secretary Water and Power. Similarly get copies of the remaining issues from IRSA or the Ministry.

It is the duty of WAPDA to investigate the technical merits and demerits of each project, specially the Katzarah Dam, Fateh barrage, Guroh Dop Dam and Mirkhani Dam. It is for the Government to make decision to build the project or not after judging its merits and demerits and after obtaining views of foreign consultants. WAPDA has no authority to reject a project on its own on exaggerated environment issue and not touching a bit of its multipurpose unique merits. This proves WAPDA’s psyche of negative tendency and obstinacy. It is surprising that during the foundation ceremony of Basha, the unique Katzarah was not pointed to the Prime Minister when he was in that very locality.

The unique Katzarah Dam.

It is a unique, one in four project with almost indefinite life span. It creates 35 maf storage, six times KBD, generates cheap hydropower, controls 100 per cent floods in the Indus, and controls silt to increase life of all downstream reservoirs. Basha life will increase from 80 years to 700 years. Tarbala remaining life will increase by 40 to 45 years.  Katzarah will implement Water Accord by meeting its 22 maf storage requirement.  It will replenish 6.5 maf replacement storage lost. Why WAPDA has shut its eyes to these unique technical merits. Contrary to this, WAPDA is frightening the local residents and is creating KBD type of controversy. Please compare the well being of 18 crores population at the cost of submergence of silt releasing Skardu valley. It’s the Government job to make decision for building Katzarah and not WAPDA. My report on Katzarah Dam may be examined in details.

Fateh Barrage

Basically this short term project is substitute for the controversial KBD to bring peace   between the fighting provinces. The KBD project consultants have also indicated to provide unrestricted low-level silt sluicing hydraulic structure replacing the KBD dictated design. The consultants meant high barrage. A 260 feet high dam suffers from silting problem as reported by the KBD consultants. The consultants have also indicated to reduce its height from 260 feet to 160 feet because of weak foundation. Fateh barrage will cost $2 billion and completed in 2.5 years. It will function as balancing reservoir for Tarbela reservoir when more power is needed at Tarbela. WAPDA estimated  power generation of Fateh barrage as 1366 MW. Actually it is much more. It’s a run-of-river project, will create minimum to maximum power depending on the river flow. KBD planned to irrigate Laki Marwat area from the KBD lake through tunnel. Fateh Barrage will also cover the same area and not Karak as mentioned by WAPDA. Please refer to “Introducing Kalabagh Dam Project” Report June , 1991 issued by WAPDA. WAPDA cheating may be noticed that in 10 days it has counted the population of the area and the numbers of villages that will be submerged. All this is jugglery of words to depict projects infeasible.  The reservoir is confined to steep hill where it is not possible for the villages to develop. This is only stated to shelve the project initiated by me that hurts WAPDA ego—a strong mafia.

Moreover, the storage water will be released during the period of low supplies. Every now and then freshets come that will be stored. How can the reservoir be empty from October to May? Is the Indus River dry? Will this be the situation with KBD? Hydrology of KBD and Fateh barrage is the same. Storage water will properly be regulated. Investigation will reveal facts. WAPDA should not form opinion on its whim. I may inform you that at elevation 880, the gross storage is 4.4 maf and even then the reservoir will be short of Attock gorge. The gross storage of 4.4 maf created by Fateh barrage is equal to the joint gross storage of Bunji, Dasu, Munda, Kurram Tangi Dams. Is this not something unique? We can easily create storage upto 4.4 maf  instead of 3.4 maf. We can further go up to Elevation 900 for storing 6 maf or so. In that case the reservoir will reach Attock Gorge.  Investigation will reveal the quantity of reasonable storage. The barrage involves no silting problem and backwater flow as KBD. It will cost very low. WAPDA arguments are unreliable. Please get opinion of foreign consultants. Refer to storage capacity curve prepared by WAPDA that can help to decide the quantity of reasonable storage.      

Akhori Dam

WAPDA tries to prove that Dr Pieter Lieftnic report on Akhori is wrong. I do not agree with WAPDA. Dr Lieftnick clearly says Gariala site is preferred to Akhori. For this, he gives reasons. Let the Government decide if it agrees with Dr Lieftnic or WAPDA. Dr Lieftnic has pointed out many drawbacks which seem to be serious. WAPDA is habitual in planning wrong projects such as Kachi Canal, SCARPs, NDP, KBD etc. all that miserably failed and billions of rupees wasted. Why, no inquiry was made for these failures? We must know the causes of failure for accountability and for getting wise.

Please refer to page 266 of Dr Pieter Lieftnic report Vol 1, revealing that Tarbela height will be raised for diverting water.

“ For any such undertakings, Tarbela would have to be built to elevation 1565 feet in order to facilitate the transference of water across the divide”

“For 3.3 maf storage it is evident that an inordinate amount of earth moving would be involved and that serious foundation problems would be encountered. The Akhori project was deemed less favorable than Gariala. (page 267).

“To convey the Indus water from Tarbela to Gariala; a canal some five miles long, with a capacity of 76000 cusecs, would be constructed from the Siran arm of the Tarbela reservoir”

“ See page 292. Akhori is superseded by Gariala”.

The channel to divert water will remain dry for 9 months and 20 days.

There is no surety that in 20 days the reservoir would be filled to designed capacity.

In view of above muddy situation, a fair and sound opinion about these projects can only be given by hiring known foreign consultants. They may be asked to prepare only the very preliminary feasibility reports of these four projects. I have found that my articles/papers on Katzarah and other schemes have not been studied in details. Therefore the two days discussion was all vague and flying. Correct conclusion cannot be drawn.

It is pointed out that in IRSA Act, the Chairman WAPDA is made ex-officio Member IRSA. This naturally means he should be technical man to actively participate in all such vital technical discussions on projects costing $ billions. On the completion of term of the present Chairman, the next Chairman should be an experienced technical person. In my opinion, I consider Riaz Ahmad Khan Technical Advisor to WAPDA as the most suitable man for the job.

Let Foreign Consultant give advice on these projects. They should be asked to further improve these. I give only the project concept which may further be improved. My figures are very rough and needs investigation and confirmation.  All technical details of projects may be investigated by the consultants.

Storage problem in Indus Waters Treaty due to silting

How much live storage under definitions is created by India in 32 hydraulic structures under the Indus Waters Treaty

The Foreign Ministry of Pakistan may request the Government of India to let us know the aggregate quantity of live storage created in maf on the 32 hydraulic projects under the technical definition in Appendix-D, that is, Live storage water under Pondage, Surcharge storage as floodwater storage, storage created under the run-of-river including pondage storage and operating pool live storage.

The gross replacement storage of Tarbela and Mangla Reservoirs built under the Indus Water Treaty, lost about 6.5 maf storage due to rapid silting. The storage were created to compensate for the loss of perennial water diverted by India from the canals in Eastern Punjab. The lost storage needs replenishment otherwise the Treaty would become inefficacious. India may be request under the Treaty to pay the cost for creating replacement storage or contribute as before.    

The above two basic issues that is, silting of reservoirs and storage created under technical definitions escaped un-noticed so far, may please be clarified in a spirit of love and mutual respect. Senator John Kerry report arouses sense of danger.

Senator John Kerry Report to US senate, India stored enough water to limit the supply of water to Pakistan

Senator John Kerry report to US Senate created alarm. It appears India has created enough water to harm Pakistan at critical moment in the growing season. Furthermore, John Kerry has shown fear of water war to congress. An excerpt from John Kerry report is reproduced.

“India has acquired the ability to store enough water to limit the supply of water to Pakistan at critical moment in the growing season”.

The above statement is extremely political with far reaching consequences. Every word is full of meanings that need political and technical analysis. The Foreign Ministry and our legal experts may study this statement. We want to know live storage created under the definition of terms in view of John Kerry report and the various reports from media showing water war by using water as weapon of mass destruction by creating famine like situation in Pakistan..

Engr Fateh ullah khan Gandapur

Former Chairman IRSA.            Mobile   0300-5920641                  June 9, 2012

Copy to;

Secretary Ministry of Water and Power, Islamabad for information. The situation is brought to his notice for guidance and decision. Government decision is required to proceed further. WAPDA head quarter may be shifted to Islamabad to work in close coordination with IRSA and other professional organizations at Islamabad.

Chairman IRSA Islamabad for expressing Authority views to the Government. Water regulation and its management and distribution fall under the jurisdiction of IRSA. These schemes are part of water regulation.    

Minister for Water and power for information. He may decide to appoint foreign consultants to give pre-feasibility reports on at least four projects. Moreover, WAPDA may be directed not to frighten the people of Northern area. WAPDA is implanting controversy for Katzarah Dam. WAPDA did the same for KBD.

Copy  to; All Members of the committee for information and offering written views