PAKISTAN CANAL SYSTEM

Fahad Iqbal

IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN PAKISTANKEY FACTS

No. of major Reservoirs: 3

No. of Barrages: 16

No. of Headworks: 2

No. of Inter-link Canals: 12

No. of Canal Systems: 44

Length of Canals: 56,073 km

Pakistan Canal System Pakistan has one of the largest canal irrigation systems

in the world

In Pakistan there are 12 inter link canals and 45 canals to meet the commercial, domestic and irrigational needs of the country

Consists of three main important types of canals:• Perennial Canals• Non-Perennial Canals• Inundation Canals

Pakistan Canal System • Perennial Canals

• Perennial canals ensure regular supply of water all the year round

• Non-Perennial Canals• Non-perennial canals only run in Monsoon and summer. They get

their water from rains.

• Inundation Canals• Rainy weather and season is the only time when these

canals run

Consumption Pattern of Water

Ravi River Canals Ravi Canals supply water to Lahore areas, Gujranwala, Sahiwal

etc Interconnected with Chenab river through different canals i.e

Nandi Pur Canal, Marala-Ravi Link Canal, Qadirabad-Balloki Link Canal, Lower Chenab Canal, Upper Chenab Canal, Palkhu Canal

These also include Lower and Upper Bari Doab, Baloki- Sulemanki Link Canal, Sidhnai Canal, Bedian Canal

These canals support the Kharif crops Meets River Chenab near Khaniwal

Sutlej River Canals Covers the area in both Pakistan and India Baloki-Suleimanki Link canal, Islam and Feroz Wala

Head works are of Sutlej River Punjnad also comes in this list Bahawalpur, Bahalnagar, Pakpattan and Nili-Bar area

is irrigated by these canals Joins River Chenab near Alipur

Disputes In 1948 after partition of Punjab, India cut off flow of

canal water to west Punjab Stopped water of river Ravi and Sutlej because India

wanted to damage Pakistan economically Forezepur and Madhopur head-works were given to

India and India cut-off supplies from Ferozepur on 1st April 1948 which stopped water in Sutlej river

Pakistan also purchased water from India to avoid economic disaster

Chenab River Canals

One of the largest rivers of Pakistan. Sutlej, Jhelum and Ravi rivers also join Chenab at their

end point. Lower Chenab Canal, Rasul - Qadirabad Link Canal,

Qadirabad -Baloki Link Canal are canals from Chenab. Marala weir is the starting flow point of Upper Chenab

Canal, whereas Khanki weir is the starting point of Lower Chenab Canal, Haveli canals also fall in the Chenab River Canals.

Also linked with Jehlum and Ravi through different canals. Supplies water to Gujarat, Chiniot, Jhang Sadar etc. Joins Jehlum river near Jhang Sadar.

Jhelum River Canal Originates from Mangla Dam Lake near Mirpur.

Upper Jhelum Canal, Lower Jhelum Canal, Rasul - Qadirabad Link Canal, Chashma Jehlum Link Canal.

Upper Jhelum joins Upper Chenab near Khanki. Upper Jhelum canal, a large canal originates for Mangla area

which supplies water to Gujarat and then joins Chenab river. Lower Jhelum canal supplies water to Sialkot area and joins

Chenab. Jhelum itself joins Chenab river near Jhang Sadar.

Indus River Canals Originates from Tibet region, runs through

Ladak region of Kashmir then Gilgat - Baltistan and then along the entire length of Pakistan to join Arabian sea.

It is Pakistan’s largest river with length of 3180 Km

Barrages include , Taunsa , Sukkur and Chashma. Vast areas of KPK is irrigated by Indus River

Canals. Dera Ghazi Khan and Dera Ismail Khan areas are

also irrigated by the canals coming out of different barrages.

Indus River Canals (cont…d) Ghazi Barotha Canal, large canal from Indus river originates

near Tarbela, supplies water to Kamra Base and falls back again into Indus River.

Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal, Chashma Right Bank Canal near Chashma Barrage.

Taunsa Panjnud Link Canal, D.G Khan Canal, Kachhi Canal near Taunsa Barrage.

Rohri Canal, Nara Canal, Dadu Canal, Rice Canal near Sukkur Barrage supplies water to Larkana and Khairpur.

Karachi Canal and Ghooni Canal near Hayderabad.

Indus River Treaty Water sharing treaty between Pakistan and India brokered by

world bank. The treaty was result of Pakistan’s fear that the source river of

Indus Basin were in India. Treaty was signed in Karachi on September 19, 1960 between

Indian president Nehru and Pakistani President Ayub Khan. The treaty gives India exclusive use of all the waters of

Eastern rivers including; Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi Pakistan has exclusive use of western rivers The Indus, Jhelum

and Chenab. In cases of disagreement a neutral expert is called in for

mediation and arbitration.

Thanks