However, they have very different construction processes and uses. You have requested a machine translation of selected content from our databases. Building capacity between individuals and organizations, and strengthening institutions are key elements for sustaining irrigated agriculture in the Indus Basin. The Indus Basin is underlain by an extensive unconfined aquifer that covers 16 million ha of surface area, of which 6 million ha are fresh and the remaining 10 million ha are saline (Haider et al 1999). [4] To observe the species richness, scientists collect data on the fish and animal populations before and after construction of the dam. This is basically a pro-poor approach that enhances the income of poor farmers who otherwise might leave their lands barren. The Indus River basin supplies water to the largest contiguous irrigation system in the world, providing water for 90% of the food production in Pakistan, which contributes 25% of the country's gross domestic product. The per capita water storage capacity in Pakistan is only 150m3, compared with more than 5000m3 in the United States and Australia and 2200m3 in China. Trees and plants act as biological drainage agents, helping to lower water table depths, a very simple as well as energy-saving method. Dams have a reservoir so they create a lake. In Pakistan, the canal water delivered to the head-end farmers is generally 32 and 11% more than to the farmers of tail-end and middle-end, respectively (Haider et al 1999). Pakistan experts ponder flood strategy, Govt tries glass half full approach as crises abound, Education ministry renames Single National Curriculum, Rain inundates low-lying areas in twin cities, , , , 50 PTI members might vote against Parvez Elahi, claims Rana Sanaullah, Pakistani woman killed by husband in Chicago murder-suicide, Bid to influence Punjab CM poll can lead to Lanka-like situation: Imran, JCP to consider elevation of judges on 28th, We are ashamed: Netizens demand justice for American woman allegedly raped at Fort Munro, Chupke Chupke actor Arisha Razi calls out Karachi-based photographer for sharing her nikah photos without consent, Adoption is a wonderful way to have a child: Nadia Jamil says the process was tougher than biological birthing, Pakistani passport remains fourth-worst in the world: Henley index, 'Repeat of Sindh House': Imran says PTI MPAs being offered Rs500m to switch loyalties, Pakistan won't go route of 'regional country' as fuel reserves at 'record levels': ministers, Miftah blames 'political turmoil' as PKR falls to record low against dollar, Race to become UK PM down to final two: Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, India central bank prepared to spend $100bn more defending rupee: source, Lessons from India: Digital fascism and the new world order, Coalition vows to do all it takes to salvage Punjab govt, Editorial: If democracy is to move forward, PML-N and allies must refrain from unethical moves to retain Punjab, In search for quick fixes, some suggest govt sells its gold for dollars. Inhibiting the volume of water was shown to be detrimental to species diversity and richness. Farmers should also be encouraged to use high-efficiency irrigation systems, such as sprinkler and drip irrigation systems to reduce irrigation water demands. Therefore, the only way to achieve this food target is to improve water management to increase land and water productivity. Agricultural commodities estimated as required for the projected population in 2025 are given in Table 1 (ADB 2002). It is estimated that, to meet the food requirements of the country, the cultivated area of wheat would need to increase by 46% at present yield levels. It is projected that, by 2025, the shortfall of water requirements will be 32%, which will result in a food shortage of 70 million tons. Starting when the country was still a part of British-ruled India, engineers embarked upon ambitious projects to harness the water that flows from Kashmir through the length of the country to the Arabian Sea.

A large number of varieties of different crops have been developed for Pakistani conditions. This approach attempts to promote bioreclamation techniques such as salt-tolerant plants, bushes, trees, and fodder grasses. Investment in these private tube wells is of the order of 3040 billion rupees (US$ 500 million), whereas, annual benefits in the form of agricultural production are to the tune of US$ 2.3 billion (PKR [Pakistan Rupees] 150 billion), accruing to over 2.5 million farmers, who exploit groundwater directly or rent irrigation services from neighbors (Shah et al 2003). In contrast, Pakistan can barely store 30days of water in the Indus Basin (Briscoe and Qamar 2005). According to the World Commission on Dams, a key difference between a barrage and a dam is that a dam is built for water storage in a reservoir, which raises the level of water significantly. IT is unfortunate that in our country, the actions and attitudes of healthcare providers, people who are responsible To dam or not to dam? It, therefore, is urgent that negotiations be opened with Afghanistan to reach an agreement on water sharing. Its discharge capacity has been drastically reduced. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop policies and approaches for bringing water withdrawals into balance with recharge. Gracon offers a diverse range of development and construction services for hydroelectric plants, dam outlet works, piping systems, government buildings and underground operations. Similarly, areas for other crops will need to be increased. The irrigation technology that comes with building a dam can exceed the risk factor. The requirements of drainage in Sindh are high due to the extent of saline groundwater as well as relatively high water allowances for the crops grown, particularly rice. Your use of this feature and the translations is subject to all use restrictions contained in the Terms and Conditions of Use of the BioOne website. Pakistan experts ponder flood strategy. A barrage is built for diverting water, and raises the water level by only a few feet. Pakistan is now home to probably the worst salinity problem in the world (Briscoe and Qamar 2005). Different farmers have different reasons for the adoption of Resource Conservation Technologies (RCTs). The incorporation of salt-tolerant trees and salt bushes into agricultural systems on salt-affected lands has the potential to increase crop and animal production and to decrease land degradation. The latter is generally built on flat terrain across wide, often meandering rivers. However, water in Pakistan is under pressure, and irrigation is threatened. Similarly, direct seeded rice requires 23% less water compared with transplanted rice under Pakistani conditions (Qureshi et al 2006). When the British, after 1882, had to look after these structures generally referred to as barrages, they adopted the term in their language and continued to use it for similar structures built by themselves across the Nile (Zefta Barrage and Assiut Barrage both completed in 1902). 4 0 obj Due to age and poor maintenance, the delivery efficiency of irrigation systems is low, ranging from 35 to 40% from the canal head to the crop root zone (Tarar 1995). Kaisar Bengali, a career technocrat who advises the chief minister of Balochistan, said: Dams create floods, dams dont prevent floods. The salinity of groundwater in the Indus Plains varies widely, both spatially and with depth, and is related to the pattern of groundwater movement in the aquifer (Qureshi et al 2007). [7] Barrages are usually larger than the headworks of irrigation and navigation canals, with which they are associated. Surface air temperatures exhibit extreme spatial variability dependent primarily on elevation but with strong seasonal and diurnal cycles. It was not capable of discharging more than 600,000 cusecs, mainly due to the rising of the river bed level due to silting.. A rapidly growing population means that more food needs to be produced, but there are almost no new supplies of water to produce it. Unlike a dam, the water stored behind a barrage depends on the height of its gates and not the height of the entire wall. A dam is usually an impressive feat of construction, as its sheer height is what keeps the water from moving up and over it. Projected food requirements and productions for the year 2025 (in million tons). Decisions on whether to release water are also subject to opposing concerns dam managers may seek to keep reservoirs full for energy generation, whereas an early release could lessen flood impacts. 1 0 obj Over the last few years, serious differences have emerged between Pakistan and India over sharing water resources. Supply-side solutions aimed at providing more water will not be available as in the past. There is great variability in crop yields, with some farmers achieving yields of 3874kg/ha for wheat and 3545kg/ha for rice (Qureshi et al 2004). The way water is being used will have to be changed significantly if sustainable development is to be achieved in Pakistan. Available land per person for cultivation is also decreasing. Province-wise distribution of cultivated area and salt-affected area (WAPDA 2007). In most cases, a barrage dam is built near the mouth of the river. These uses can include irrigation, water supply or even electricity generation. Having a barrage instead of a dam means that the flow of water can be kept stable for its intended purpose, such as irrigation to nearby cities, towns, or farmlands. In Balochistan Province, for example, subsidies for electricity need to be reviewed. Problems of soil salinity, shown in Figure 3, are more serious in Sindh Province (54% of the irrigated area is saline) due to low rainfall, high evapotranspiration rates, and shallow saline groundwater. This keeps the dam from being overtaken when the reservoir or lake reaches the top of the dam. Successful irrigation requires successful conjunctive management of surface water and groundwater resources (Qureshi et al 2010). The most important and critical infrastructure at Chenab is Trimu (barrage) which was constructed during the British era. >ENW:LWaoa~&IOd}hLUQe5uVu However, evidence, such as increasing salinity in the groundwater due to redistribution of salts in the aquifer and declining groundwater levels, confirms that the potential for further groundwater exploitation is very limited. Compunode.com Pvt. While there is substantial evidence and case studies that point to dam construction having environmental impacts, there are also studies that show less damage than expected. Dams have gates just as barrages do, but the difference is that dams have the gates and sluices at the top to prevent flooding and spillage. Dams can have buildup of pressure that fish are not accustomed to and they migrate further upstream causing that part of the river to have reduced population sizes. <> But Pakistan could face severe food shortages intimately linked to water scarcity. Dams and barrages are difficult and expensive to de-silt and maintain, forcing authorities to turn to help from multilateral lending agencies such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. Agriculture in Pakistan, perhaps more so than anywhere else in the world, is dependent on irrigation. Total nonirrigation water use is expected to increase to 18.9 BCM. Therefore, there is a need to invest in rehabilitating the existing drainage systems and in constructing a new drainage system for salinity management in the Indus Basin. [Mj*Ud r;ZcE'C7 *5y U! A barrage is a type of low-head, diversion dam which consists of a number of large gates that can be opened or closed to control the amount of water passing through. This will count as one of your downloads.