PAKISTAN CANAL

SYSTEM

Fahad Iqbal

IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN PAKISTAN

KEY 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.

hanks