PAKISTAN’S recurring power shortages, water scarcity and devastating floods are often treated as separate crises. They are not. They share a common solution: storing rainwater through a nationwide network of small dams. Instead of allowing precious rainwater to flow into the sea, Pakistan should convert it into a strategic resource for clean energy, irrigation and climate resilience.
According to the World Banl(, Pal(istan’s per capita water availability has fallen from over 5,000 cubic metres in 1951 to around 900 cubic metres, placing the country close to the water-scarcity threshold. At the same time, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has repeatedly highlighted Pal(istan’s limited water storage capacity, while the Pakistan Economic Survey has emphasised the growing pressure of climate change on the country’s water resources.
Small-scale dams offer a practical and cost-effective solution. In addition to storing rainwater, they can generate micro-hydropower, recharge groundwater, reduce flood damage and provide reliable irrigation for agriculture. Their lower construction cost and shorter completion time make them particularly suitable for water-stressed regions.
Many countries have already demonstrated the benefits of this approach. China has built more than 90,000 reservoirs, many of them small and medium-sized, supporting irrigation, flood control and renewable electricity. Japan has integrated rainwater harvesting and multipurpose reservoirs into its disaster-management strategy, while India’s check dams have significantly improved its groundwater recharge capacity and farm productivity.
Pal(istan’s arid areas, like Tharparkar, Kohistan, Dadu, Jamshoro and parts of Balochistan, possess considerable potential for proper rainwater harvesting through scientifically planned small dams.
The time has come for policymakers to treat every drop of rain as a national asset. Investing in small-scale dams today is not merely a water-management strategy;it is an investment in Pal(istan’s energy security, agricultural sustainability and, importantly, long-term economic resilience.
Shahnawaz Khoso Hyderabad