God’s curse be on those who devastated the country by floods for not building dams

Losses caused by August-September 2010 flood for not building Katzarah and Guroh Dop dams

The country is devastated and suffered irreparable loss by floods for not building dams in 46 years (36+10) after the construction of Tarbela Dam. Basha will take 10 years for completion if the Government is serious. Gomal Zam Dam is built in 50 years, but still canal network is yet to be completed. Prediction is that another flood of about the same intensity may come any time. It may come before the construction of flood control dams.

It is estimated that about 40 million people are affected. About 300,000 livestock animals are lost. About 3.5 million hectors of cropland destroyed. About 3000 people killed. About 1.9 million villages washed off. The infrastructure suffered loss of billions of dollars. Many more losses not recorded are in addition to the above. The losses seem to be unrecoverable. All this is because dams were not there. WAPDA is ignorant about Katzarah Dam and Guroh Dop Dam.

I am giving you information on the merits of building dams and the demerits for not building dams. I quote the devastating floods of July-August 2010 of this year as an example for both cases.

I also let you know what the country’s leading Newspapers lament in headlines for not building dams as;

“The water was there, the dams weren’t” (The News dated Sept 24, 2010)

“Flood-hit Pakistan to face water shortage in Rabi” (Dawn dated Sept 25 2010)

(57 maf of floodwater wasted to sea because of no dams. Shortage in Rabi is WAPDA’s negligence)

And the reward for building dams is;

“USAID to help complete Gomal Zam Dam” (The News Sept 25, 2010)

Gomal Zam Dam built this year, mitigated floods and saved the two Districts from flood devastation. (Chairman WAPDA)

Benefits of building Dam

The recent building of Gomal Zam Dam on Gomal River in South Waziristan Agency mitigated flood and saved the two Districts from flood devastation

I am the discoverer of Khajuri Katch dam site on Gomal Zam Dam in 1959. The dam was being built at wrong site on Gomal River since 1956 and about Rs. 20 million were wasted at wrong dam site up to the year 1958. On taking over the charge as Project Director, I found that Gomal Zam Dam was wrongly located. I therefore shifted the dam site about 30 miles on the downstream below the confluence of Zob River with Gomal River in 1959. After abnormal delay, the main dam structure is built by WAPDA after 50 years by the year 2010. This shows the height of inefficiency of WAPDA.

 Moreover, I am the forgotten unsung discoverer of Gomal Dam, as I was not invited to the foundation laying ceremony of the dam by WAPDA. On the completion of the dam’s structure after 50 years by WAPDA, the dam saved the two districts of Dera Ismail Khan, and Tank including Kulachi town and the whole of Gandapur area. The Chairman WAPDA issued statement that Gomal Zam Dam protected this area from super flood. The Chairman did not name or appreciate the discoverer of the Dam for his discovery, hard work, capability and courage to work in the most dangerous tribal area of South Waziristan Agency, travelling on foot in the valley of Dozakh Tangi or the valley of hell to reach dam site. My work was highly appreciated by Harza Consultants and the Energoproject Consultants from Yugoslavia. The Harza Consultants said “We have 30 years dams construction experience through out the world but we have never seen such a spectacular dam site as discovered by Engr Fateh Ullah Khan”.

The miracle of Gomal Zam Dam is that this year the furious flood has completely been tamed. The reservoir of Gomal Zam Dam is filled to full capacity. More than two million people are directly saved from flood devastation and displacement. This is because the Dam was there just before floods. The whole credit goes to the unsung discoverer of Khajuri Katch Dam site on Gomal River. Ghulam Faruque the then chairman declared in 1959 at the dam site in the presence of Consultants and the Political authorities to build my Statue at the dam site in recognition of my services. There is no recognition in this country for discoveries or for services rendered beyond the call of duty.

The present Chairman WAPDA statement appeared in The News dated September 2010 is;

“The incumbent Chairman expressed satisfaction over the role played by Gomal Zam Dam in mitigating the floods last month. The project though under construction, successfully mitigated the flood of the River Gomal, absorbing a huge quantum of water in the reservoir and releasing only through its diversion tunnel. Had Gomal Zam Dam been not built. there would have been more devastation in Tank and Dera Ismail Khan”.

The building of Gomal Zam Dam is an example of protecting the vast area from flood devastation. It greatly benefitted the area and has created a huge reservoir of water.

Country’s devastation by 22% for not building Dams           

We have the example of worst flood devastation on earth for not building dams

The irreparable losses by this year historic floods for not building dams on the Indus at Katzarah and Basha and on Guroh Dop Dam on Panjkora River/Swat River are roughly mentioned above.   

Like the discovery of new dam site of Khajuri Katch on Gomal Zam Dam by me in 1959, I discovered the World’s excellent dam sites in Pakistan during the period from 1960 to 1962. Katzarah and Guroh Dop Dams are the two unique dam sites with very large storage reservoirs, excellent capacity-inflow ratio, and nominal silt flow. Each reservoir has a lifespan of 1000 years with excellent service value. Had Katzarah and Guroh Dams been built after 1962, there would have been no flood devastation as the flood in Kabul River and Indus river would have been tamed. There would have been no scarcity of water. There would have no inter-provincial water dispute.

The Unique Katzarah Dam on the Indus

I discovered Katzarah dam site in 1962. Dr Pieter Lieftnick head of the World Bank Team confirmed this site in 1968. The storage capacity of this dam is 35 maf that is 6 times the storage capacity of Basha Dam or Kalabagh Dam. The inflow at the dam site varies between 27maf to 35 maf. Katzarah Dam has the capability to produce 15,000 MW of hydropower. It is super flood control dam. It will irrigate 5 million acres of barren land in the four provinces. Katzarah Dam has lifespan of 1000 years.

 Katzarah is the cheapest dam per maf of storage water, per MW of power generation, per year of lifespan, per year of service value. Katzarah Dam is multipurpose. It is a Replacement Dam. It is a carryover dam, and a river regulation dam. It is a poverty alleviation dam. It is a development dam. Katzarah Dam storage would implement paras 2, 4, 6, and para 14(e) of the Water Accord to end inter-provincial water dispute. It will end crippling load shedding.

In spite of my all efforts from years to years after 1962, WAPDA paid no attention to this unique dam simply for the apparent reason to build Kalabagh Dam before any other dam. WAPDA promised before Nisar Memon Perliamentary Committee to submit feasibility report of Katzarah Dam in September 2005 but the promise proved to be false. Even the Government of Sindh in The News dated June 2009 demanded the construction of Katzarah Dam. It said  “What keeps us from going for Katzarah Dam?”

Guroh Dop Dam on Panjkore River/Swat River

I discovered Guroh Dop Dam site in November 1960. I submitted its prefeasibility report to WAPDA. Guroh Dop Dam has 8.5 maf storage capacity, the second largest storage after Katzarah Dam. It is a multipurpose flood control dam. It will completely store the entire Panjkora River normal flow of about 3 maf per year and the super flood. The reservoir has excellent capacity-inflow ratio. River Swat will be tamed after storing the Panjkora River flow, that is its parallel and equivalent main tributary. It is jointly called Swat River. Guroh Dop storage is 1.4 times more than the storage capacity of Basha or Kalabagh Dam. Guroh Dop Dam will generate about 600 MW of power and provide irrigation facilities to an area of 50,000 acres of barren land. It has 1000 years lifespan.

There is another beauty of Guroh Dop Dam that the Chitral River flow after damming it by Mirani Dam, can be diverted to the catchment area of Panjkora River for storage in Shigo Katch Reservoir of Panjkora River. As such, Guroh Dop Dam will substantially reduce inflow of floodwater into Kabul River. The Kabul River floodwater would be under control by building Guroh Dop Dam and the flood fury of the Indus will also reduce as Kabul River flood flow would reduce.. Katzarah and Basha Dam will control the Indus floodwater. On Kabul River, Jehlum Rivrer and Chinab River, there are no dam sites to store floodwater. It is only the Indus, Swat and Panjkora Rivers where floodwater can be stored.        

We have not built dams on the Indus, Swat and Punjkora Rivers. The consequences appeared in the form of worst flood disaster on earth destroying the Indus basin. On the other hand, we have build Gomal Zam Dam and we saved two districts from flood devastation and displacement. This makes the difference of building or not building dams.

 The dams play a pivotal role of bringing prosperity, safety from floods, and rapid economic development. I would say again curse be on those who oppose building Katzarah Dam and Guroh Dop Dam. In these dams lies Water Security for Pakistan. The state of water security in Pakistan is very poor and is becoming poorer day by day. The Global warming, glacier melting and climate change is going to play hell. It direly needs to mitigate these calamities. Please consult my website (fatehuk.blogspot.com ). We are facing many water issues not one. You will find solutions to all water issues of Pakistan in my blog specially foreseen for this day.

WAPDA is unaware of the multipurpose Guroh Dop Dam, located only a few miles on the upstream of Munda Dam. Munda Dam’s feasibility was prepared as a power dam, as it has nominal live storage of 0.67 maf. Munda is single purpose dam on run-of-the-river, but now WAPDA wrongly declared it as flood control dam and claims that Peshawar valley would be saved from floods. How can negligible storage capacity of 0.67 maf, with run-of-the-river flow accommodate 286 times the storage capacity of Munda Dam mitigate flood discharge of 400,000 cusecs in Kabul River? How can 0.67 maf of floodwater reservoir, accommodate 285.7 times of its size of floodwater storage? Attention is invited to WAPDA statement in The News dated September 4, 2010 as “Munda is a multipurpose project with the objectives to control floods…” This shows WAPDA is cheating the public and the Government. Beware! Munda is NOT a flood control dam. It is a power dam.  

Brief on Water Security Strategy in Pakistan Critical Review of Water Vision 2015 and its feasibility Recommended Water Security Strategy

State of Water Security in Pakistan

State of water security in Pakistan is precarious. One of the causes is that India has dammed the Indus, Jehlum and Chinab River in occupied Kashmier to full potential, creating acute shortage of water and water insecurity during the Rabi.

Unfortunately, no dam can be built on Kabul River, Jehlum River and Chinab River as there are no dam sites within Pakistan. This creates another state of insecurity during the Rabi. Floodwater cannot be stored on these rivers.

Indus is the only river where a number of dams can be built, but unfortunately, WAPDA has created yet another state of insecurity by creating Kalabagh controversy, and 46 years (36+10) long status quo by not building another dam with the best capacity-inflow ratio, long lifespan and excellent service value.

WAPDA initiated Kalabagh Dam (KBD) and located it at a wrong site, at the end of the Indus valley where the sediment load is maximum from a catchment area of 110500 squire miles. At this site the Indus River brings on the average about 540 million tons of silt equivalent to 0.3 maf. This gives a lifespan of about 20 years for Kalabagh Dam.

Moreover, WAPDA foolishly gave tailored TOR to the Kalabagh Project Consultants to follow its hydraulic design in a fruitless efforts to evacuate silt. WAPDA instructed the Consultants to provide 50 flood days restricted mid-level sluicing hydraulic design, wrongly assuming that it will evacuate silt. The Consultants did not agree with WAPDA’s dictated design. The Consultants suggested 100 flood days unrestricted low-level sluicing hydraulic design to evacuate silt otherwise heavy sediment load will be deposited upstream of the Attock gorge that will create unacceptable backwater flow and flooding in Kabul River that will inundate Peshawar valley and destroy Nowshera town and other large areas.

The Consultants further warned that foundation of Kalabagh Dam is weak and a hydraulic structure more than 160 feet cannot be constructed.

Moreover, due to wrong hydraulic design, Kalabagh Dam will produce only 1450 MW of hydropower. WAPDA therefore instructed the Consultants to support low hydropower by installing 2000 MW of Thermal Power Plant.

Because of these serious flaws, the Kalabagh Dam project became politically controversial and technically infeasible. WAPDA bent upon to build KBD by hook or by Crook. Therefore, WAPDA created 46 years long status quo and did not built any other dam. This created the greatest insecurity of water in Pakistan. Not only that, the status quo destroyed 22% of fertile Pakistan by the worst flood on earth and caused $ 100 billion loss at least. It also created inter-provincial water dispute destroying national integration.

Critical Review of Water Vision 2015 and its feasibility

The Water Vision 2015 includes the construction of Kalabagh Dam, Akhori Dam, Munda Dam and Basha Dam. Kurram Tangi is a local dam with small storage capacity of 0.7 maf. Out of the four vision dams, Kalabagh and Akhori are in feasible. Kalabagh is politically controversial and technically infeasible. Akhori Dam is rejected by the World Bank Team.  Munda is a power Dam to produce 740 MW of hydropower. It is not a flood control dam. It has negligible live storage capacity of 0.67 maf. We must go for multipurpose dams with large storage capacities and long lifespan. These vision 2015 dams are briefly discussed below:-

Kalabagh Dam. Its infeasibility is already explained.

Munda Dam.  Munda is basically a single purpose power dam. It has nominal storage capacity. It therefore cannot provide any water security. It is only feasible as power dam. WAPDA has declared to build it and termed it a flood control dam that is totally wrong and misguiding.

Basha Dam.  Basha is a good dam site. Its feasibility was established in 1982 but unfortunately WAPDA did not built it because of the Kalabagh Dam  on the mind of WAPDA. It is WAPDA, that has played and is playing the role of creating great insecurity by not building long life dams with maximum storage capacities for water security like the unique, multipurpose 35 maf Katzarah Dam on the Indus and the multipurpose 8.5 maf Guroh Dop Dam on Punjkora River/Swat River that would also end crippling load shedding. Basha is multipurpose dam. It will help mitigate super flood, generate 4500 MW of hydropower and replace the 6.6 maf of storage lost due to rapid silting of Tarbela, Mangla  and the Chashma barrage. Basha is therefore only a Replacement dam. For Water Security more dams are direly needed. Basha Dam is already under the process of construction.

Sanjwal Akhori Dam.

Dr Pieter Lieftnick head of the World Bank Team rejected Akhori Dam and superseded it by Gariala Dam. Refer to page 292, volume I of Dr Pieter Lieftnick report. The height of Akhori Dam was then 250 feet and a length of 15800 feet. Its live storage was 3.3 maf. Akhori is a single purpose irrigation dam. The report on page 269 states that “it became evident that an inordinate amount of earth moving would be involved and that serious foundation problem would be encountered at each site. Cutoff grouting would be required along the axis of Sanjwal Dam, the embankment of which is another 12.5 miles long and extensive treatment would also be required at Akhori.

In view of this and other considerations, the project was deemed less favourable than Gariala Dam. The report on page 266 states that “For any such undertaking, Tarbela would have to be built to elevation 1565 feet against its present height of 1550 feet in order to facilitate the transfer of water across the divide”. This means Tarbela Dam will have to be raised by 15 feet. This may not be possible besides other serious consequences. Akhori is an indirect storage dam. An unusual canal with a huge discharge of 80,000 cusecs would take off from the Siren Arm of Tarbela Reservoir across the country. This will cross Motorway, GT road, Railwayline and other internal roads. Each structure would be unique in its size and cost. The canal would hardly run for about 50 days in a year. It will also carry heavy silt. The canal will remain dry for more than 10 months a year. Moreover, the diversion 80,000 cusecs may reduce power generation at Tarbela and destroy environment and eco-system between Ghazi-Barotha to Attock gorge. The Indus River bed would become dry for most of the year by diverting (56500+80,000)= 135000 cusecs of water from the Indus.

In spite of weak foundation of Akhori Dam that is declared unsafe by the World Bank for a height of 250 feet, how it would be possible for WAPDA to build a 420 feet high dam on weak foundation to create a storage of 7.0 maf?. The earth involved is 3 times that of Tarbela. The length of the dam with high embankments will increase to about 25000 feet.

World Bank on Security of water in Pakistan

Mr John Hall Country Director World Bank has said a few years back “Pakistan is moving from being one of the most water stressed country in the world to a water scarce country. Building new dams are just one of asset of necessary activities to increase farm water”.

Recommended Water Security strategy for Pakistan and its implications towards national integration

There is dire need to adopt a water security strategy on war footing in view of the global warming, glacier melting and climate change. This is necessary to feed the rapidly growing population. We may frequently face freak whether condition, like super floods, droughts, high temperature, changes in whether pattern etc. All these changes bring destruction to agriculture and food production for the fast growing population. This year super flood teaches us a lesson to learn and to secure water at all cost. We must avoid another calamity of the same nature.

I therefore recommend the following water security strategy for Pakistan.

Build the unique 35 maf Katzarah Dam on the Indus that provides excellent water security

Build the multipurpose 8.5 maf Guroh Dop Dam on Panjkora/Swat River. This also provides water security.

 Both these dams are super flood control. These are the only dams that provide Water Security but WAPDA is unaware of both the multipurpose dams. WAPDA care less for Water Security as is clear from its vision 2015 programme that includes two infeasible dams and the third one is power dam. Only Basha Dam is a proper dam but that too is a Replacement Dam as we have already lost 6.6 maf storage water due to rapid silting of reservoirs. These dams would store floodwater going waste to sea, besides producing huge hydropower that will remove crippling load shedding.

The other most important measure for Water Security is to modernize the highly wasteful, most inefficient, incompatible, and obsolete, 150 years old canal irrigation system. Out of 105 maf of water diverted into the canal irrigation system about 50% is lost due to seepage and as system wastage due to the incompatible canal system. This means about 50 maf or 8 times the storage of Basha Dam or Kalabagh Dam is wasted. This is criminal. There will be no water scarcity if the canal system is not modernized by Integrated Comprehensive Water Management, and huge wastage is avoided as far as possible.

Change of WARABANDI and adoption of Sprinkler and Drip irrigation method to save water

Warabandi is unscientific and is a wasteful method of application of water to crop. There is need to adopt Sprinkler method and Drip method of irrigation to accrue great saving in water. These two methods would irrigate an increase area of about 60%. This will provide water security. These irrigation methods provides water to crops as and when required in proper dozes.   

Katzarah Dam on the Indus

Katzarah is a unique and multipurpose dam on the Indus. It has storage capacity of 35 maf, and power generation of 15000 MW. Katzarah is a super flood control dam. It can irrigate 5 million acres of barren land. Katzarah is an excellent water shed management dam. It will prevent silt flow in the Indus River water. Skardu valley has the most highly erodible soil in the world. By building Katzarah Dam, its reservoir would submerge Skardu valley and stop silt erosion. Katzarah Dam has a lifespan  of 1000 years. Katzarah Dam will increase the life of Basha Dam from 80 years to about 800 years. Katzarah is the cheapest dam per maf of storage water, per MW of hydropower generation, per year of life span and per year of service value. Katzarah is a dam that will create national integrity as it will end inter-provincial water dispute by implementing paras 2, 4, 6 and 14(e) of the Water Accord. Katzarah is a Replacement Dam, a carryover dam, a development dam, an inter-seasonal dam. It is a river regulation dam. It is a multipurpose dam in a real sense and a dam of national integration.

Guroh Dop Dam on Panjkora River/Swat River

Guroh Dam is water security dam. It is a flood control dam. It will irrigate about 32000 acres of barren land. It will produce about 600 MW of hydropower. It has the second largest storage reservoir after Katzarah Dam. The storage capacity of Guroh Dop Dam is 8.5 maf or 1.4 times the storage of Basha Dam or Kalabagh Dam.       

Change of site of Gomal Zam Dam from Gul Katch to KhajuriKatch

It is a rare case where change of dam site from Gul Katch to Khajuri Katch during its construction is involved because of wrong dam site selection. About Rs 20 million were spent on a wrong dam site at Gul Katch till 1959. I changed the dam site from Gul Katch to Khajuri Katch when I was appointed its Project Director. I abandoned the Gul Katch Dam site. Time and money was wasted.

Gomal Zam is a flash flood river that damages crops, property, infrastructures and forms ravines due to soil erosion. Gomal Zam has a long history to control its floods and use its water for the development of backward and desert-like area. Due to WAPDA’s inefficiency, it has taken a very long time to complete it.

The control of Gomal Zam flood waters going waste and causing heavy land erosion and ravine formations was originally conceived in 1850. However, construction work began on the dam in 1956. The dam site at Gul Katch was close to Afghanistan’s border. The dam site was selected by the provincial irrigation department and was found very wrong from all aspects. The storage in Gul Katch dam depended only on 25 per cent of the catchment area of the Gomal Zam watershed, ignoring the 75 per cent of the area, having a discharge of 80 per cent, which is contributed by the Gomal River’s major tributary, the Zhob River that lies in Balochistan.

The storage of the Gomal Zam Dam does not depend on water from Afghanistan. There is no dam and reservoir site in Afghanistan nor enough water is available for storage. Therefore, there is no possibility of building a dam on the Gomal River in Afghanistan as wrongly assumed by the NGOs. The Zhob River joins the Gomal River upstream of the Khajuri Katch dam site to store water in Adam Kok reservoir. The Zhob River water is the major source for storage at the Khajuri Katch.

About Rs20 million were spent till 1958-59 on a wrong dam site at the Gul Katch on the Gomal Zam due to the lack of investigations and planning. In 1959-60, the Gomal Zam project was taken over by Wapda from the irrigation department for early completion. Simultaneously, irrigation department sent me to WAPDA who posted me as the Project Director, Gomal Zam. I was directed to complete the dam at Gul Katch where the work was in full swing.

However, I reviewed the project-planning concept of Gomal Zam Dam afresh, and found in my desk studies, an excellent dam site with an extremely narrow gorge at Khajuri Katch that is something rare but was ignored. This site is on the downstream of the confluence of the Zhob River, the major tributary of the Gomal River, with a very large flow. Fortunately the reservoir of the Khajuri Katch, named Adam Kok reservoir on the upstream has the world’s excellent and rare capacity-inflow ratio that gives a life span of more than 150 years. The increase in the height of the dam will further increase its life span by another 100 years. Therefore, its life-span is not 30 or 40 years as wrongly assumed by the two NGOs. The new Khajuri Katch dam site is 30 miles downstream of the old Gul Katch site.

After completing the studies, I prepared a pre-feasibility report for the newly discovered site to achieve optimum development. After that I decided to visit the new dam site for conducting site investigations. The dam site is in the most dangerous tribal area where no official has ever gone before. It is virtually no man’s land. At the dam and reservoir site, I confirmed my own basic findings on the ground on which the pre-feasibility report was prepared from the GTS sheets.

In view of this, I stopped the wasteful construction work going on at the Gul Katch dam site in 1959. I then sent the feasibility report on the Khajuri Katch dam site to the then Chairman Wapda, Ghulam Farooque for his information and decision. The pre-feasibility report on the new dam site was jointly studied by the Harza International Consultants of the US and the Energo-project of Yugoslavia. Both were Wapda’s top consultants. The Chairman along with the teams of the above two firms visited the newly discovered dam site. The Harza Consultants reported to Wapda: “We have more than 30 years of dams construction experience throughout the world but we have never seen such a spectacular dam and reservoir site as pointed out by Engr Fatehullah Khan.” Similarly, the Energo-project consultants reported: “The project planning done by Engr Fatehullah Khan for the Gomal Zam dam at Khajuri Katch is excellent and we cannot further improve on it.”

Appreciating my discovery, Ghulam Farooque ordered to build my statue at the Khajuri Katch dam site in recognition of the discovery of the new dam site with unique features. A great national loss was avoided due to the wrongly planned project at the wrong site. Moreover, I further pointed out a unique aspect of the dam, its huge reservoir located in an absolutely barren and desolate tribal area where there is no sign of habitation in need of compensation. As there is no population displacement or any structure coming under water that needs compensation therefore its cost is very low. Moreover, the huge reservoir provided an excellent capacity inflow ratio that would prolong the life of the reservoir, indefinitely.

The Gomal Zam dam at Khajuri Katch has absolutely no adverse environmental impact and no socio-economic problems as wrongly assumed by the NGOs. The project has all conceivable benefits of multiple nature with no adverse effect in any form. This is a unique feature of this project. The Gomal Zam dam will convert the desert-like area into green field and also raise afforestation to attract more rainfall. It will create oasis in the desert.

The NGOs would be surprised to know that the Khajuri Katch valley where the dam is to be built is called “Dozagh Tangi” i.e. the valley of hell. After the Khajuri Katch dam on Gomal Zam, the valley of hell will turn into a valley of paradise. Moreover, due to the extremely narrow gorge, and a vast reservoir the cost of the project becomes very low as compared to its multiple benefits. The construction of the 52 years’ old running Gomal Zam project in hand is justified even for a single purpose of either to control floods, or perform irrigation of the huge barren area. The hydropower generation and the stoppage of land erosion and the control of floods to avoid damages are its by-products benefits. The NGOs have wrongly opposed the construction of the dam, wrongly presuming that it is being built only for power generation of 17.4 MW. They have ignored its vast irrigation potential of irrigating 160,000 acres of barren lands and its 100 per cent flood control aspect of the Gomal Zam dam. They have not assessed the stoppage of land erosion of 3500 acres yearly and the colossal flood damages. It clearly proves that the NGOs are creating confusion and spreading all sorts of incorrect and conflicting information to sabotage a unique project that is the source of green revolution and the source of poverty alleviation for the poor people and the means to revive a desolate area. This project will bring revolutionary changes in improving the overall condition of the area. The opposition to such project shows the Sungi and the action Aid are not working in social sector but in a sector to crush the poor and the deprived people and are working against human rights and poverty alleviation.

This project is a feather in the cap of President Pervaiz Musharraf who inaugurated its construction on 22 August 2001 that was long due since 1850. Unfortunately, Wapda and the government of NWFP never bothered to invite the discoverer of Khajuri Katch dam, a lifetime dream of an engineer seeing its project to be implemented. This is a country of unsung heroes.

The matter is serious as water shortage is ruining the country, and the people opposing excellent storage all over the country in violation of the Water Accord should be taken note of. All the above facts of the dam site are confirmed in the project’s feasibility reports conducted by foreign consultants. In view of all this, the survey conclusions drawn by the NGOs are wrong. Again, it is shocking that the two NGOs are ignorant about the provisions of Water Accord while making wrong and misleading conclusions. The para 10 of the Water Accord specifically provides to build the Gomal Zam dam and other dams to store water going waste in the respective districts of D.I. Khan, Bannu and Kohat as the water of the local rivers in these districts are allocated to the local areas of the NWFP as its share. Therefore, it does not involve sharing of water between the provinces or create any complexities as wrongly assumed. These are local rivers with flash floods and their water is not on national pool but exclusively allocated to the NWFP as per para 10 of the Water Accord. There are no restrictions on developing irrigation in the Gomal, Kurram and Kohat basins. The question of dispute for sharing this water does not arise.

The annual average flow of Indus River is 142maf. The Gomal Zam dam will only store 0.45 maf of water locally. The water will be used according to the Riwage-Abpashi on priority basis as envisaged in the project report. The water rights will never be affected. The Water Accord paras 4,6,10 & 14 (e) of part-I and part-V of part-II clearly provide the construction of the Gomal Zam dam under the IRSA Act.

The opposition to the Gomal Zam dam with imaginary and wrong conclusions show that somebody wants to destroy this country economically by not developing its land and water resources through the construction of dams. Opposition to feasible dams anywhere is violation of the Water Accord and IRSA Act. As a matter of fact, construction of dams to store surplus water going waste is the only solution to remove water scarcity, solve provincial disputes and bring prosperity. The Water Accord under para 6 provides to build storage wherever possible to develop irrigated agriculture. A river must have storage dams equal to its annual runoff. Storage dams are necessary to build the economy, alleviate poverty, create jobs and eliminate terrorism and to emerge as a strong nation.

Likewise, the Pakistani three gorges dam discovered by me in 1962 on the Indus at “Katzarah” 20 miles down stream of Skardu, storing 35maf of almost silt free water during the monsoon, generating 15000 MW of power with 1000 years lifespan is yet another unique, and one of the largest storage reservoir in the world. It needs immediate construction to overcome many problems.

Surprisingly, this mega project is not yet brought to the notice of the President in spite of great needs and bitter storage controversy and in spite of my detailed reports sent to all concerned and various ministries, including the office of the Chief Executive and to the GHQ, besides the chief of planning division and to the press.

The solution to sound land, water and power development for irrigated agriculture lies in excellent governance at the policy and decisionmaking level by the very competent water resources engineers under the direct patronage of the President. It is the only hope to develop water resources on right lines. The conclusions made by the Sungi and the Action Aid NGOs on highly technical subject about the unique Gomal Zam dam show nothing but a great ignorance.

Small Dams VS Big Dams

Small Dams

It appears non-professionals have advised the President to build small dams, as big dams are controversial. This is not so. All big dams are not controversial, like Kalabagh Dam. The President may please get opinion from expert water resources engineers. Small dams do not serve our purpose, as they do not meet our requirements of huge power generation to end load shedding, control super floods to avoid devastation, and provide irrigation facilities to large new barren areas to feed the rapidly growing population. Moreover, small dams are short lived due to silting and cannot serve the said purpose. Small dams rapidly lose storage water due to evaporation and seepage. However, vegetable can be grown from its small quantity of water.

Small dams serve the purpose of drinking water. Small dams are useful as watershed management infrastructure to control soil erosion and stop silt flow. The capital cost of small dam is very high viz-a-viz its storage capacity, lifespan, and service value. Maintenance of small dam is costly. Small dams can never replace big dams. The function and purpose of small dams and big dams are different. About 1000 small dams are not equivalent to one big dam like Basha in service value besides its power generation and flood control capabilities. Small dams are part of water management for big dams. Small dams are no replacement for big dams. Big dams are unavoidable. It is wrong that all big dams are controversial.

Big Dams

Pakistan direly needs big dams to control super floods and avoid death and destruction as experienced this year. Pakistan needs big dams to generate cheap hydropower in large quantities to end crippling load shedding. Moreover, big dams are environment friendly as they turn desert areas into green fields and forests can be raised by the use of water from big dams.  Pakistan needs big dams to create huge storage for supporting the present irrigated areas and for irrigating large barren areas to produce food for the rapidly growing population. Pakistan needs big dams to implement Water Accord paras 2, 4, 6, and para 14 (e) to avoid inter-provincial water disputes. Water Accord could not be implemented for the last 19 years as no big dam was built. Pakistan needs big dams to conserve floodwater, going waste to sea each year. In the event of drought, the storage from big dams provide water for crops

Pakistan needs big dams to replace 6.6 maf of storage lost due to silting at Tarbela and Mangla Reservoirs. Big dams are multipurpose and very cheap and give best service value as compared to the service value of small dams. Big dams regulate river flow, ensure irrigation water to large area, control super floods, and supply water for industrial and domestic uses. Big dams have long lifespan and great service value. Big dams bring economic prosperity and provide jobs for large number of people.

 Big dams run industries from its power generation. The present devastating flood that ruined nearly 25% of Pakistan teaches a lesson to go for big dams. Super floods can only be controlled by big dams. Pakistan needs big dams to replace storage lost due to silting under the Indus Waters Treaty. Pakistan needs big dams to produce hydropower. Water and power are natural resources on a river. These resources must be exploited by building big dams.  Big dams lay the foundation of strong economy and prosperity. Global warming, climate change and glacier melting need big dams to avoid catastrophes due to super floods.

     

Kalabagh Dam created wrong impression that big dams are controversial

                          

WAPDA created Kalabagh Dam controversy and long status quo for 46 years (36+10)=46 due to the selection of wrong dam site on the Indus. Besides this, WAPDA gave tailored TOR to the Project Consultants to achieve specific purpose of the left bank canal from a higher level for irrigating areas in Punjab. Moreover, Kalabagh Dam site has the poorest capacity-inflow ratio in the entire length of the Indus. Because of the poorest CI ratio, the reservoir will silt up with in 20 years. Besides this, silt will be deposited upstream of the Attock gorge that will create unacceptable backwater flow and flooding in Kabul River that will destroy Peshawar valley.

 The KBD Consultants advised WAPDA to build 100 flood days unrestricted low-level sluicing hydraulic structure like a barrage. On the contrary, WAPDA insisted for a wrong hydraulic design to provide 50 floods restricted mid-level sluicing hydraulic structure to build 260 feet high dam. This will create rapid and heavy sediment deposition upstream of the Attock gorge and unacceptable backwater flow and flooding in Kabul River.

Big dams are the symbol of prosperity and economic development. Unfortunately, Kalabagh Dam created great fear in the province of Sindh because of the dam’s location to divert water from a higher level for specific purpose by Punjab. Punjab wants to take off a high level canal, 170 miles long on the left bank with a discharge of 15,000 cusecs to feed Mangla system.

The province of KP has shown fear that with the construction of Kalabagh Dam, Peshawar valley will be ruined by inundation due to backwater flow and flooding in Kabul River. The proof of inundation and ruination lie in the present flood devastation even without the dam.

 With the Kalabagh dam, that is lying on the down of Attock gorge, devastation would multiply. Kalabagh Dam recommended by the Project Consultants is run-of-the-river dam like a barrage. It therefore will not store water during floods. It therefore cannot give protection against super floods even to the downstream areas. Similarly, if WAPDA’s design of 50 floods restricted mid-level sluicing is followed, then Kalabagh Dam will be on run-of-the-river for 50 flood days. In any case, Kalabagh Dam will create sever backwater flow and flooding in Peshawar valley.

 After Kalabagh Dam, the flooding and inundation in Peshawar valley will be aggravated. Kalabagh Dam has become politically controversial due to hidden reason. For this reason, its feasibility report was kept secret from KP. It was declared as classified document. 

WAPDA should have asked the Consultants in the TOR to select the best multipurpose dam site on the Indus with long life span to give best service value.

WAPDA and Punjab determined to build Kalabagh Dam at all cost. WAPDA stopped searching excellent dam sites with best service value and long lifespan like Katzarah and Basha on the Indus and Guroh Dop on Punjkore/Swat Rivers. This resulted in crippling load shedding for long time with no relief. This also created inter-provincial water dispute due to scarcity of water as no dam is built to store floodwater that goes waste to sea each year.

Besides all this, the Kalabagh Dam Consultants stated that the foundation of the dam site is weak, therefore a hydraulic structure more than 160 feet high cannot be built at this site. On the contrary, WAPDA instructed the Consultants under the TOR to build 260 feet high dam.

Similarly, the power generation from the dam due to its wrong hydraulic design is only 1450 MW. WAPDA therefore instructed the Consultants to provide 2000 MW Thermal Power Plant to support low hydropower.

I may inform that all the big dams have no problem like Kalabagh. The Kalabagh Dam became politically controversial for its wrong site and wrong design. Moreover, it was being built for a specific objective.

Besides this, Kalabagh Dam is infeasible in view of the findings of the Kalabagh Project Consultants. Please refer to the feasibility report to verify these facts. No body seems to have read the 27 volumes of the Kalabagh Project report.

In the end, I strongly recommend to build Katzarah Dam, Basha Dam, Guroh Dop Dam and Kalam Dam without loss of further time. None of these dams are controversial. The building of these dams is vital because similar devastating super flood are predicted any time due to global warming, glacier melting and climate change. This time we must avoid similar devastation.

 Land compensation must immediately be paid to those who are displaced by the construction of big dam. Late payment creates problems. China rehabilitated 2.2 million people displaced by Three Gorges Dam well in time. There was no problem. We must follow this practice.

  Unfortunately, WAPDA declared to build Munda Dam with live storage capacity of 0.67 maf that is basically a power dam. The same dam with the same data is now declared as flood control. Chairman WAPDA stated that it will protect Nowshera and Charsadda from super floods. This is all ridiculous. A nominal storage of 0.67 maf cannot protect Peshawar valley where Kabul River was running a flood flow of 400,000 cusecs.    

Besides the above, please pay attention to the lurking catastrophes of water issue of Pakistan. These water issues are given in my website,  fatehuk blogspot.com              

Flood havoc aggravated by man-made diversions, breaches and interference with the waterway and flood flow of the Indus

Flood havoc aggravated by man-made diversions, breaches and interference with the waterway and flood flow of the Indus

The cataclysmic destruction of 22% area of Pakistan, specially the Indus basin, took place due to man-made diversions, breaches and interference with the waterway and flood flows of the Indus River at the time of  extremely high floods. The accuracy of the breaches is confirmed  by NASA photo of 7 September 2010.  In NASA photo, it will be noticed that “the new course of Indus River is created by diverting the floodwaters to the North. The water has inundated parts of Baluchistan and upper Sindh”.

The Newspapers, the farmer Prime Minister of Pakistan and MQM leader Altaf Hussain, Mushahid Hussain have also stated that wide spread destruction by floodwater is due to breaches and diversions by influential people to save their lands and property. The breaches gushed out floodwater and destroyed the areas where floodwater could not cause damages. In this unscientific attempt of breaching embankments, all safe areas are inundated by floodwater.

The Board of Revenue at the time of West Pakistan, had special rules and regulations for the management of floods. They have prepared bund Manual. No body was allowed to breach any flood protective bund, embankment, dyke without the permission of the competent authority that is a qualified engineer of the rank of Executive Engineer and above after visiting the site.

 Here in this case, the embankments of the mighty Indus River, and canal embankments are breached in self interest by people without permission from the competent authority. This is the main reason for large scale destruction, and devastation. In Sindh, Indus River is running on a ridge, and the adjoining irrigated areas are lying at a low level. The breaches in the Indus can play havoc in such areas.

 It is a crime to divert  floodwater by interfering in waterway, make unauthorized breaches in river embankments and in irrigation canals, that in turn, destroys public land, crops, houses, infrastructure and other properties. Non-professionals do not know, whether the breaches will help them, and to what extent, or do more harm and destroy other safe areas. Such action requires professional knowledge and experience. It appears nobody bothered to super wise flood to pass down safely. No body visited the bunds or embankments before floods as required in the bund manual. No body maintained these infrastructures asrequired. Annual verification report is required to certify that embankments are in good shape.   

In the past, floods of similar intensity caused no such historical damages. The floodwater was confined to the 14 miles wide waterway of the Indus River. Floodwater flowed with in its embankments and safely discharged into the sea. In 1994, when I was Chairman IRSA, similar flood occurred, and 88.1 maf of water passed down safely below Kotri barrage. This discharge is nearly two times higher than the present flood discharge of about 49 maf that passed down below Kotri barrage so far causing havoc, death and destruction in the Indus basin. The reason for safe passage of 88.1 maf of floodwater is that no man-made interference were then made. Similarly, the following extremely high floods passed down stream Kotri to sea;

In 1976, about 64 maf

In 1983  about 43.8 maf

In 1988  about  44.i7 maf

In 1991  about  42   maf

In 1992  about   69.19  maf

In 1994  about   81. 21 maf

In 1995  about   61. 09 maf

In 2005  about   24.5 maf

In 2007  about   15.82  maf

From the above data it is clear that floods of higher intensities passed down to sea without causing such devastation as now caused by this flood. It shows something is wrong with supervision. It seems that man-made interference is involved. All this should be verified at site and a true picture given to the general public explaining the causes of the unusual damages and destruction this year. .   

“A satellite photo of the floodwater taken on 15 August 2010 at a time when Punjab had been ravaged and Indus was just being diverted near Jacobabad. Note how Indus joined

Chenab North West of Multan at multiple points. All pondage areas East of Chinab are dry”.

             

The photographs reveal that the Indus River floodwater has adopted two prong wings or two courses or waterways near Guddu reach of the Indus. All breaches are unauthorized man-made. The new Indus River course inundated vast areas. All these breaches were made arbitrarily in self interest by influential.

 The man-made cuts are breach of national interest and security. It tantamount to treachery. No doubt that the floods were massive, but the damages could have been limited as in the past similar flood made no such damages. In the past, floodwater safely passed below Kotri to the sea. This year lands of Southern Punjab and Sindh are destroyed. Such illegal acts hold back the donors, as there is no national interest but self interest. 

It will be surprising to note that no damages took place in 1994 when I was Chairman IRSA. At that time, about 88.1 maf of floodwater passed safely below Kotri to sea in flood season.  The Indus River waterway was wide enough to discharge safely the peak flow of about 88 maf of water downstream of Kotri. The Newspaper Dawn dated 18 September reports that Tori bund was breached on August 7 and Surjani embankment on August 26. Subsequently, Ghouspur bund and Haibat bund were breached. It further reports that in 1976, over 1.2 million cusecs of floodwater safely passed down Guddu barrage. This year the discharge is less than that but flood damages are colossal as 4 million people are affected.

Based on satellite images, statements by politicians, Newspapers reports and the massive flood damages besides the adoption of two courses by the Indus show that the influential land owners destroyed Pakistan in self interest. They caused irreparable loss to the country. It may take another 60 years to rebuilt damaged infrastructure under best governance free of corruption. But that seems to be impossible unless a miracle happens.

The country was already on the path of ruination due to bankruptcy in planning water resources on correct lines, in time. Moreover, no body cared for about 20 lurking catastrophes of water issues of mega nature. The country is crippled due to load shedding. There is water scarcity. No multipurpose dams are built to control floods and generate power in 36 years after the construction of TarbelaDam. The canal system has become obsolete and highly wasteful, wasting about 50 maf of water equal to 8 times the storage capacity of Basha Dam. The lands are becoming saline and saline-sodic and there is no surface and sub-surface tile drainage as required. Storage are rapidly silting as there is no water shed management. Efforts are made to build infeasible and controversial dams like Kalabagh and Akhori Dam.

 The unique Katzarah Dam and excellent Guroh Dop dams are ignored for lack of knowledge and investigation, Water Accord’s paras 2, 4, 6 and 14 (e) are not implemented even in 19 years. This created unending inter-provincial water dispute. WAPDA built absolutely wrong mega projects that were abandoned like Kachi Canal from Mithon Kot. Drainage schemes were abandoned by WAPDA like SCARPs and NDP wasting Rs 1000 billion and precious time. There is no concept for water management.

 There is no body to correctly advise the President that small dams are no good. Small dams cannot solve our multiple water issues. How can small dams control such massive floods, generate power and serve the purpose of irrigation with short life span and negligible quantity of stored water. A 1000 small dams are not equivalent to one Basha dam in service value. Small dams are extremely costly. The function of small dams is water shed management to check soil erosion.

 Terrorists have destroyed economy. Prices have gone sky high and people moan about it. About 15 people commit suicide daily, even with children. Things have come to the limit that a man tried to commit self-immolation in front of Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani’s residence in Multan due to poverty.  All these need revolutionary steps to achieve food security and jobs otherwise we expect a bloody revolution.

 Over and above all these serious water issues, the current flood turned into the earth’s worst disaster by made-man interference, making unauthorized breaches. This tragedy destroyed Pakistan to the extend that it may never recover.

Let the reader think over it, how can these terrible multiple water issues including floods havoc be set right. This needs that we should change our attitude and set our self right. But this is not possible. So wait for the horrible consequences in the very near future.

The great omission and incompetence on the part of the previous Governments and the concerned organizations is that no flood control multipurpose unique dams like Katzarah and Guroh Dop were built. It is shocking to learn that Munda Dam purely planned as power dam is now declared by WAPDA as flood control dam to check floods in Kabul River and protect Nowshera and Chasadda from flood destruction. This is ridiculous. It shows bankruptcy in planning and in investigation by ignoring Katzarah and Guroh Dop. Our experts are specialists in wrong planning.

Moreover, the timber mafia has denuded about 40% of forest area that causes flash floods.

Moreover, the country’s natural drainage system has disappeared due to negligence. All major drains and small drains are chocked due to encroachments. Therefore, during rains and floods, the water overflows in sheet form damaging vast areas. No body bothered to maintain these drains as required by the “Canal and Drainage Act of 1887”. No body followed the Bund Manual. Most of these drains are classified drains that require proper look after like canals. They need maintenance. No one is allowed to interfere with the flow and waterway of these drains. One is supposed to get prior permission from the irrigation department if a bridge or culvert is desired to be built across the drain. No one is aware of all this. This also aggravated flood flow in sheet form, as there were no waterways to carry the drainage effluent as drains were blocked.

Besides all the above problems, and the criminal act of breaching embankments, there is yet another crime being committed by the same landlord mafia who breached embankments. This crime is theft of water or the unauthorized use of water direct from the Indus River. Here again, the influential land lords, politicians and others draw water directly from the Indus River by pumping water. Besides this, they have installed tube wells near the bank of the Indus that indirectly draw water from the Indus. This is one of the reasons for shortage of water and inter-provincial water disputes.

It is learnt that about 17.4 maf of water is lost/stolen from the Indus and is illegally used in Punjab and Sindh. This huge loss of water takes place between Chashma barrage to Guddu barrage and between Guddu to Kotri barrage. The Government has not investigated the reasons for these losses. The Government has taken no action against this crime that perpetually leads to shortage of water that results in inter-provincial water disputes. Illegal practice of water use by influential is customary. Therefore breaches is no crime for them.  

River training works and mega dams needed to regulate flow of the Indus and its safe passage to sea.

The Indus is one of the largest rivers in the world. Its flow is highly erratic that urgently requires regulation by dams for timely irrigation water supply to crops, and for flood control besides cheap power generation. The minimum flow of the Indus on record is 9000 cusecs and the maximum flow on record is 1.2 million cusecs. There is only one dam on the Indus at Tarbela built in 1974. This dam has already silted up by 5.0 maf (43%) before 2010 floods. After the record floods, another 0.5 to 0.8 maf might have been silted up.

Rise in the Indus bed level due to barrage construction and silt deposition

Six barrages are built on the Indus, namely Jinnah barrage, Chashma barrage, Taunsa barrage, Guddu barrage, Sukher barrage and Kotri barrage. The Indus carries a terrible sediment load. Due to barrage construction, the bed of the Indus is raised by silt deposition. This necessitated the construction of embankments in the province of Sindth to protect lands from the Indus due to inundation. Due to the rise in riverbed, the Indus River runs on a ridge, the adjoining lands lie at a lower level. Therefore, it is highly essential to protect the low lying lands from flooding or inundation due to intentional or unintentional breaches. Moreover, the embankments need raising and strengthening and regular inspection.

Yet another phenomena is observed that the cross-sectional area of the Indus waterway seems to be reduced due to sediment deposition as compared to the cross sectional area of the Indus in the past. This is because in the past heavy discharges safely passed down Kotri, like 88.1 maf in 1994, 91.86 maf in 1995, and so on. The reason could be that man-made breaches were not made. It is very essential that hydraulic survey of the Indus waterway is carried out during the winter to see changes in river bed elevation and in cross-sectional area of the waterway of the Indus. This is required for raising of the river embankments.     

The influential landlord, politicians and others are given lands in the kachi areas. Besides stealing water to irrigate these lands, these owners have built bunds to protect their lands from the possible breaches in the Indus embankment. Some of these people feared danger to their land from the flood that was increasing in severity therefore they breached the main embankments at specific places with the foolish idea to protect their lands. This as a result destroyed vast areas in the Indus basin.

The NASA photo of 7 September 2010, the satellite photo of floodwater taken on 15 August 2010 diverting the flow of Indus near Jacobabad and the statements of responsible leaders of the status of Prime Minister of Pakistan and of Mushahid Hussain and Altaf Hussain confirm  man-made interference with the flood flow of the Indus by making breaches. The Indus has an established waterway to the sea. But the flow of the Indus, its waterway and the drainage of the Indus has been split into two wings. The two images from the satellites are attached as proof for examination.

Lands in the Kachi area should never be allotted as gratis. This land should have been used for growing forest. Similarly, forests should be grown on the naked mountains along Tarbela’s 97 Km long lake to improve environment and increase forest area by at least 10%.                                    

Warning

I hereby inform that Global warming, glacier melting and climate change will play hell in Pakistan by floods of more severity. It is predicted that such floods will come in the near future and I fear Pakistan is not prepared to face it as it has no flood protective infrastructures and flood protection measures. I therefore urgently request to take the following measures;

Immediately build Katzarah Dam, Basha Dam on the Indus and Guroh Dop Dam on Panjkore/Swat River.

Impose total ban on forest cutting. Grow forest to cover 10% area of Pakistan.

Revive the choked waterways of all natural surface drains in the country and maintain them as required by the Canal and Drainage Act of 1887.

Maintain properly and regularly the Indus River embankments. Weak portions must be strengthened. Irrigation engineer must issue certificate before flood that embankments are in order and barrages are in good condition. No breach should be allowed. 

Flood warning must be made in time. Flood flow must be watched by helicopter.

ANNEX.

How to prevent similar super flood catastrophe in future

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

There is dire need to tame cataclysmic floods to normality by building dams with excellent capacity-inflow ratio on the Indus, on Swat, and on Panjkora Rivers. About 22% of Pakistan and 40 million of its people are ruined by the super flood and about another 5% area is hit by sever rainfall. This is the worst natural disaster on earth that human beings suffered due to climate change and global warming.

 More floods of similar intensity are predicted. It is reported that about 55 maf floodwater has passed downstream Kotri barrage to sea as waste flows during 2010. It is nine times the storage of Basha Dam. Indus and Panjkora are the only rivers where mega flood control multipurpose dams can be built, There are no dam sites on Kabul River, Chinab River and Jehlum River. We must build multipurpose flood control dams without loss of time on emergency basis.

 Munda, Akhori and Kalabagh Dams are not flood control as wrongly assumed by the Ministry of Water and Power. Akhori and Kalabagh are infeasible as declared by Consultants. The real flood control dams are the 35 maf Katzarah Dam and the 8.5 maf Guroh Dop Dam as discovered by me in 1962.

Pakistan is perhaps the only country in the world that has free flow in its furious and highly erratic rivers. This is because no flood control dams on its rivers were built since the creation of Pakistan in 1947. For this omission, concerned organizations are responsible. No attention and care is given to develop the natural resources specially land, water, power and agriculture to produce food for its 180 million rapidly growing people.  

WAPDA was created in 1958 to develop water and power resources. No mega dam is built by WAPDA since its inception to tame monstrous floods. We are therefore faced with crippling load shedding and water scarcity besides inter-provincial water disputes. Tarbela, Mangla, and link canals were built under compulsion of the Indus Waters Treaty as Replacement Dams in lieu of giving Ravi, Sutlege and Bias Rivers water to India under the Treaty. Foreign Consultants built the dams under the World Bank supervision. Tarbela Dam, Mangla Dam and Chashma barrage have already silted up and lost storage capacity by 6.6 maf. Even then, no dam is built to replenish the lost storage of 6.6 maf. What a lethargy shown by WAPDA and others.

There is great confusion and it is not clear who is responsible to foresee, investigate, plan and order to build mega dams? May be such flood comes with in the very near future. We must harness water and hydropower by building dams to meet the demand of growing population. Pakistan faces serious water issues. Please refer to my website “fatehuk.blogspot.com” for water issues faced by Pakistan. I have given solutions to the issues.  Some of the issues  are;

Why we could not foresee the crippling load shedding for the past about 20 years?

Why Pakistan is pushed to become a water scarce country? Why no mega dams are built to store floodwater that goes waste to sea?

Why the highly wasteful, inefficient, incompatible and obsolete Canal Irrigation System is not modernized to save 50% water lost due to seepage, and system wastage that enters the network of canal system? The lost water from canal system is between 45 to 50 maf that is equal to about 8 times the storage capacity of Basha Dam. Just think for a moment what a great loss goes unnoticed. We must therefore modernize our 150 years old and obsolete canal irrigation system.

There is dire need for Integrated Comprehensive Water Management. In Pakistan, water is both nowhere and everywhere. Canal water is squandered by abysmal water management. Absence of drainage system has spread salinity. Dams are rapidly silting.

Who is responsible not to foresee flood control dams to have protected Pakistan’s 22% area from the earth’s worst flood disaster? It was like flood of the Noah’s time.

Why Kalabagh Dam controversy and status quo was stretched to 36+10=46 years that prevented the construction of mega multipurpose flood control dams like Basha Dam and the unique Katzarah Dam, besides the Guroh Dop Dam? The feasibility of Basha Dam was established in 1981. Had these three dams were built in time, there would have been no flood losses as flood would have been normalized. Who is responsible for all this death and destruction?

Why the multipurpose, 35 maf Katzarah Dam on the Indus and the 8.5 maf Guroh Dop Dam on Panjkora River discovered by Engr Fateh Ulla Khan in 1962 and 1960 were not built that would have surely tamed the Indus River, Swat River, Panjkora River and Kabul River to normality. It would have surely avoided the loss of $ 43 billion as estimated by the Prime Minister.

Why WAPDA caused abnormal delay of 50 years in completing the Gomal Zam Dam at the new dam site (Khajuri Katch) discovered by me in 1959? The dam is not yet complete even after 50 years.

Why WAPDA’s mega drainage projects of SCARPs and NDP to remove and control salinity, sodicity and water logging failed, wasting Rs 750 billion between the period 1965 to 1975? It is apparent that WAPDA’s tube well concept to remove and control salinity was wrong. It is surprising that the established design of surface and sub-surface tile drainage was ignored.

At present about one million small tube wells are pumping the injurious saline drainage effluents as groundwater, injecting about 250 million tons of salts in to the soil, thereby destroying lands in Punjab invisibly and gradually. There is no drainage system to control salinity, sodicity and water logging. 

Why Kachi Canal’s first alignment from Mithan Kot was halfway abandoned?

Why All Pakistan Grand Canal originating from Chashma barrage suggested by me in 1962 to irrigate Kachi plain and serve as Chashma Right Bank Canal was not considered?

Why Kalabagh Dam Project Consultants were given a tailored TOR by WAPDA thrusting its own wrong hydraulic design to evacuate silt before investigations of the dam site? This is some thing unheard.

Why Consultant’s recommendation for “100 flood days unrestricted low-level sluicing hydraulic design to evacuate silt was not accepted by WAPDA? Why WAPDA stick to its tailored TOR for “50 flood days restricted mid-level sluicing hydraulic design”?

 The Consultants clearly said that restricted mid-level sluicing hydraulic design would not evacuate silt from upstream of the Attock gorge and that it will cause unacceptable backwater flow and flooding in Peshawar valley. Had Kalabagh dam been built, it would have destroyed Peshawar valley by backwater flow from the Indus and sever flood flow from Kabul River. The narrow Attock gorge, perform the function of storing water like a low dam to cause backwater flow and flooding in Peshawar valley.  

 The Consultants raised another few serious questions that foundation of the dam is weak and a hydraulic structure more than 160 feet should not be constructed even then under the tailored TOR WAPDA instructed the Consultants to keep the height of KBD as 260 feet. Because of wrong hydraulic design, and for the fact that the Indus will be on run-of-the-river for 50 flood days, the power generation from KBD will only be restricted to 1450 MW. WAPDA therefore directed the consultants under the tailored TOR to installed 2000 MW of Thermal power plant to support poor hydropower generation from the dam. It is something very ridiculous?

The Kalabagh Dam Project Report prepared by the Project Consultants was kept secret from the then Government of NWFP. WAPDA declared it as classified document when Khalid Aziz the then Additional Chief Secretary NWFP asked for the Project Report. WAPDA refused to give a copy of it but Khalid Aziz demanded it saying that nothing can be secret from the Government of NWFP when a dam is built whose storage reservoir falls in NWFP. After that, a copy of the report was supplied. 

It is concluded from the above facts that Pakistan is a self-destroyed country. It will stick to the execution of wrongly planned projects. The Kalabagh controversy and 40 years long status quo allowed the super flood to destroy Pakistan. Efficient and responsible WAPDA could have avoided all this by building a dam at Basha or at Katzarah and at Guroh Dop.

There is dire need to shift WAPDA’s head quarter from Lahore to Islamabad for increasing its efficiency and to be near the Federal Government for better administration and consultation. IRSA was also shifted from Lahore to Islamabad for frequent consultations.

 In view of all this, there is dire need for technically sound development. Otherwise, I foresee unimaginable disaster in future. All organizations have failed in their duty and responsibility in flood management. They have no feelings for the nation. There is no love for the country. There is no foresight to build multipurpose dams for storing floodwater that goes waste to sea. Stored floodwater is used for irrigation, and for the generation of hydropower.

If Basha Dam, Katzarah Dam and Guroh Dop Dam were built in sixties and seventies as suggested by me, it would have converted the fetal super floods in to normal floods. WAPDA showed so deep interest in Kalabagh Dam that it stopped building dams other than Kalabagh Dam.

We are responsible for the crippling load shedding that caused loss of billions of dollars and for the worst flood disaster on earth in Pakistan that also caused billions of dollars loss besides large scale death and devastation to a limit beyond recovery.

I request the Government in public interest to investigate whose negligence caused crippling load shedding and the earth’s greatest flood catastrophe since 1974 for not building dams and for not making pre-flood maintenance. These steps would have translated into less destruction. The Government is requested in public interest to set right the multiple and serious problems of land, water, hydropower, rapid silting of reservoirs, building multipurpose, and technically sound dams etc.

 I invite attention of the Government to see my website, (fatehuk.blogspot.com) to know the problems of land, salinity, drainage, water wastage, obsoleteness of canal irrigation system, shortage of water, inter-provincial water dispute, super floods, rapid silting of reservoirs, selection of multipurpose flood control dams like Katzarah, Guroh Dop, and All Pakistan Grand Canal, hydropower generation and their solutions.

It is apparent that Government bureaucracy and politicians all time remained inert that caused irreparable loss of property and death of about 2000 people besides displacement of about 20 million people for not managing its natural resources. The bureaucracy and technocrats failed to foresee to build multipurpose flood control dams. They see only after it happens. Afterwards, wrong and infeasible projects are initiated that create status quo like that of Kalabagh Dam and now like Munda Dam. In fact, the irreparable losses are the after effects of the status quo created for Kalabagh Dam. Because of long status quo, Katzarah and Guroh Dop Dams are not built by WAPDA.

I read in the news paper that Munda Dam is built on priority basis as flood control dam although Munda was planned as power dam on run-of-the-river with gross storage of 1.29 maf and live storage of 0.67 maf.

 The question is why multipurpose flood control Guroh Dam with a gross storage capacity of 8.5 maf is ignored? Guroh Dam is only a few miles upstream of Munda Dam. Guroh Dop Dam’s storage is more than the storage capacity of Kalabagh Dam and Basha Dam.

 Munda is a run-of-the-river dam meant for power generation with a live storage capacity of 0.67 maf cannot control super floods of 400,000 cusecs that flowed in Kabul River. Will it be possible for the authorities to stop power generation and arrange to keep 0.67 maf live storage capacity empty to receive super floods? The answer is no. This will be WAPDA’s  blunder to assume that Munda Dam will control flood of 400,000 cusecs in Kabul River or reduce its intensity. Ignoring the 8.5 maf multipurpose Guroh Dam a few miles upstream of Munda is yet another blunder.

Why not consider building Guroh Dop Dam for flood control. Read my article on Guroh Dop Dam in my website fatehuk.blogspot.com for details. Munda is a good dam site for power generation but not for flood control. I hope the authorities should reconsider their capricious decision on Munda Dam. Guroh Dop is the flood control Dam. Guroh Dop will control floods in Swat River that will reduce flood intensity in Kabul River.  

The Ministry of Water and Power proposed that Kalabagh Dam, Akhori Dam and Munda Dam are to be built as flood control dams. Facts on record are that Akhori Dam is rejected by Dr Pieter Lieftnick Head of the World Bank Team in 1968 due to its weak foundation and for many other reasons besides raising the height of Tarbela Dam by 15 feet to divert water that may not be possible.

 Kalabagh Dam is technically infeasible due to its wrong hydraulic design and weak foundations. Moreover, it is run-of-the-river dam for 50 flood days as instructed by WAPDA in its TOR, but the Consultants disagreed to this and suggested 100 flood days on run-of-the-river to evacuate silt deposition upstream of Attock gorge. This shows Kalabagh is not flood control dam.

 Munda was designed as power dam on run-of-the-river and not a flood control dam. The real flood control dams are Katzarah on the Indus and Guroh Dop on Panjkora River.  The vital flood control dams as discovered by me in 1960 and 1962 are either ignored, or WAPDA is ignorant of it. WAPDA ignored Nisar Memon Chairman Parliamentary Committee report and of AGN Qazi Technical Committee report recommending to build Katzarah Dam. I assisted both these Committees.

In addition to the flood control dams, there is dire need to revive the chocked natural drainage system. All encroachments and obstructions are to be removed from the waterways of these natural drains. The Canal and Drainage Act of 1887 requires these drains to be properly maintained. These drains are classified drains and interference in their flow and waterway is strictly prohibited. The normal floodwater is safely drained through these drains without causing flood damages. Presently all drains are blocked and the floodwater over flows on lands in sheet form causing sever damages to crops, villages and other infrastructures.

Moreover, it is direly essential to ban forest cutting by timber mafia. This causes flash floods and large scale devastation. During the current flood, Tarbela Reservoir was full of cut logs floating all over its surface brought by the floodwater. The three flood control measures are, the constructions of Katzarah and Guroh Dop Dams, the opening of natural drains blocked by encroachments, and the banning of forest cutting.

There is an idea to divert the super floods to Cholistan desert to avoid damages in populated areas. I disagree. This is because super flood would first damage the province of KP, then Punjab, then Baluchistan and then efforts would be made to divert it to Cholistan. I am of the opinion that it is not possible to divert furious flowing floods. Only the controlled flood flow, after building dams, may be diverted to Cholistan instead of wasting water downstream of Kotri to sea.

This would supplement groundwater and raise water table. The diversion of control floods to Cholistan would only be possible if flood control dams are built first, and then specific waterways with the required infrastructures are built in the form of link flood canals. The floodwater management for Cholistan needs investigations to establish its feasibility. This year 55 maf of floodwater is wasted to sea. A part of it could be diverted to Cholistan.

Fateh raised barrage as alternative to Kalabagh Dam

As Chairman IRSA in 1994, I proposed an excellent alternative to end Kalabagh Dam controversy. The proposal is to build a low-level dam-cum-barrage at a suitable place on the Indus about 2 to 3 Km upstream of the present Kalabagh Dam site. On the crest of the 100 feet low dam, a conventional barrage is to be built. The full supply level of the dam-cum-barrage may be fixed at less than elevation 825 feet. It will create a storage of 2 maf to 2.5 maf, and generate hydropower on run-of-the-river ranging from 2000 MW to 4500 MW.

 The full supply reservoir boundary will not cross the Attock gorge and will be lower by 100 feet than of Kalabagh Reservoir. Moreover, in a barrage, there will be free flow of floodwater with no obstruction that causes heading up like in a dam. The whole storage reservoir will be with in the Indus valley. This storage would repeatedly be filled and used. Its useful use would aggragate to about 6 maf, as the annual run-off at this point is 80 to 90 maf.

 The merit of this alternative is that it requires no land acquisition, no land compensation, and would involve no controversy. This multipurpose alternative is the cheapest and the quickest. It will serve as vital balancing reservoir. This multipurpose alternative can be used as flood peak breaker besides generating huge hydropower.

 This proposal is in agreement with the Kalabagh Dam Consultants findings and recommendations of providing “unrestricted 100 flood days, low-level sluicing hydraulic design”, like a barrage. The 100 feet dam will soon silt up. The Indus River upstream of the dam will readjust its bed slope by aggradation. The conventional barrage will be the only operating infrastructure. This concept can only work in a river valley and not in plains.