Tarbela Dam attains maximum storage level

LAHORE: Tarbela Dam, the country’s second largest reservoir after Mangla Dam, reached its maximum storage level of 1,550-feet on Sunday, reflecting a significant increase in the country’s water conservation capacity. Sources attribute the filling of the Tarbela Dam to the ongoing high-flow season due to rains and snow melting. According to the flood forecasting division of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the water conservation level in the dam at 6pm on Sunday reached 1,549.48 feet after increasing from 1,549 feet gauged at 6am. The minimum operating/dead level of the dam is 1,402 feet and the live storage recorded on Sunday was 5.523 Million-Acre Feet (MAF). In 2024 and 2025 (same day), Tarbela Dam had attained filling to 90pc and 96pc, respectively. On the other hand, the water conservation/storage level in Mangla Dam is also increasing fast and reached 1,206.45 feet, around 35.50 feet short of its full storage capacity of 1,242 feet. Since the minimum operating level of the dam is 1,050 feet, the live storage recorded on Sunday remained at 4.621 MAF. Last year, Tarbela attained its maximum storage level on August 21, followed by Chashma Lake that also attained its maximum level of 649 feet. At present, Chashma Lake has almost achieved its maximum conservation level of 649 feet, as its current storage level is 648.50 feet. Since the minimum operating level of the lake is 638.15 feet, the live storage remained 0.285 MAF. Meanwhile, the FFD says no significant increase in inflows is expected at major gauging stations of Rivers Indus, Kabul, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej over the next 24 hours, although low-level flood conditions are likely to persist at several barrages on the Indus. The flows at the Kalabagh, Chashma, Taunsa and Guddu barrages on the Indus are expected to remain at low flood levels whereas an increase in flows is also likely in hill torrents in northern Balochistan and Dera Ghazi Khan division. The FFD predicts urban flooding in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Okara and Lahore amid the prevailing weather conditions. It also expects a fresh spell of rains from Aug 10 (today) in Islamabad, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and upper Punjab. The fresh spell may also trigger an increase in flows in streams and nullahs adjoining upper catchments of rivers and key river-gauging stations, according to the forecast.

Authorities have been advised to remain alert due to possible rises in water levels in vulnerable areas as the new weather system develops. According to a daily report of the Water and Power Authority (Wapda), the inflows and outflows at River Indus at Tarbela were 205,700 cusecs and 175,900 cusecs, respectively, followed by the River Kabul having Inflows of 4000 cusecs and outflows of 4000 cusecs at Noshehra. The inflows and outflows at Jhelum River at Mangla were 31,700 cusecs and 7,000 cusecs, respectively, followed by the River Chenab having inflows of 65,000 cusecs and outflows of 45,000 cusecs at Marala headworks. “The inflows and outflows of the River Indus at Tarbela, Jinnah and Chashma, River Kabul at Nowshera and River Jhelum at Mangla have been reflected as mean flows of 24 hours, whereas other flows were gauged at 6am,” the Wapda report says. Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2026