HYDERABAD: Since the country’s both vital dams — Tarbela and Mangla — have hit dead level, Sindh is facing an acute shortage of irrigation water now when formal Kharif season is set to begin.

At the fag end of Rabi season, the shortage in Sindh had already worsened to 45pc for winter crops. On Monday, Sindh reported an overall 50pc water shortage with Guddu Barrage recording 10.3pc and Sukkur Barrage 66.3pc.

Mangla had hit dead level of 1,050ft on March 15 and Tarbela was only one foot above the dead level of 1,402ft today (March 17). Indus River System Authority (Irsa) Director of Operations Khalid Idrees Rana has described the situation as “usual phenomenon at this stage of Rabi season”.

Irsa’s advisory committee was to hold its meeting on April 1 to discuss water flows availability and overall scenario for upcoming summer crop season but it is likely to be held later in the first week of April due to the Eid holidays.

Normally, Tarbela Dam is considered to be the primary source of irrigation water for Sindh. Mangla Dam hardly feeds the province. The Sukkur Barrage feeds most of Sindh’s lands through its seven major canals. Guddu and Sukkur barrages also provide water to Balochistan.

Guddu Barrage is currently drawing water only for Ghotki Feeder — its left bank channel — whereas the right bank canal — Desert Pat Feeder — supplies 1,900 cusecs to Balochistan, which was also receiving 500 cusecs for the Kachhi canal through Taunsa Barrage till March 17. Sukkur Barrage was also providing another 600 cusecs to Balochistan.

Kotri Barrage was having a flow of 5,199 cusecs, including 1,200 cusecs for Karachi. Some quantum of around 200 cusecs was released to Hyderabad and Latifabad for drinking purpose.

Mango orchards need water

Among Sindh’s winter crops, wheat is at grain formation stage and may have adverse implication due to the current shortage. Besides, mango orchards also need water. Orchards are mostly located along the left bank areas of Sukkur Barrage, right up to Umerkot. Sukkur barrage’s Rohri and Nara canals were having 3,600 cusecs discharge each on Monday against the allocation of 8,300 and 11,500 cusecs, respectively.

The West Jamrao branch, which is part of the Nara Canal System in Mirpurkhas, is facing an 80pc water shortage leaving growers high and dry to feed mango orchards that are at the fruit formation stage.

“In my Matiari orchard, the shortage in Rohri canal system’s Hyderabad branch is having 50pc shortage. A rotation programme is underway. The fruit will start shedding if required flows are not given to orchards,” Nadeem Shah, a mango producer observed. “Flowering in the trees was seen a couple of months back and now fruit setting is being seen,” he said.

The lower Sindh region has early sowing trend of Kharif crops, especially cotton. The province has been struggling to have desired per acre productivity of cotton. The current acute water shortage will not augur well for this cash crop.

In Sindh, cotton is planted in February and March and newly planted seed normally requires three times watering with quick intervals. So, the cotton plantation is already suffering and would be further dented due to unavailability of water in March and April.

Sindh Abadgar Board president Mahmood Nawaz Shah agreed with Nadeem Shah, saying that water availability for mangoes was crucial at this point of time. “Shedding of fruit is bound to happen if water is not supplied to the orchards,” he said.

Besides mangoes, banana crop was bound to suffer and so is sugar cane which is usually cultivated on around 650,000 acres.

He apprehended that vegetables like okra, cauliflower and tomatoes would also be seriously impacted. “If early sown crop didn’t get required water then its germination will be hit thus economic losses to farmers,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2025