TAXILA: The water level in Khanpur Dam has plummeted to an alarming level amid a protracted dry spell, forcing the authorities to suspend water supply for irrigation purposes to both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces.

A senior Wapda official told Dawn that the water level in the dam declined from 1,935 to 1,929 above mean sea level (AMSL), which is just 19 feet higher than the dead level of 1,910 feet. He said due to less rainfall in the dam`s catchment areas and a persistent dry spell, the springs have dried up. The current inflows into the dam stand at a mere 42 cusecs, while the outflow is 160 cusecs per day.He said that 90 cusecs per day are supplied to the residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad for drinking purposes, while 6.18 cusecs are supplied to other small beneficiaries, including the University of Engineering and Technology Taxila and the Heavy Industries Taxila.

The water in Khanpur Dam has reached the danger level, and if the pre-monsoon spell does not pour well in time and quantity, this reservoir will be insufficient to meet the needs of Islamabad and Rawalpindi residents, he added.

`The alarming decline is further exacerbated by a prolonged dry spell as well as changing climate patterns, which have also caused a steep f all in the groundwater table, he said, adding that due to a decrease in the inflow of water, hot weather and no major rain spell in the catchment areas, the dam`s bed has started to become visible at some points, while rocks and mounds have appeared in different parts of the lake, especially in the main reservoir and the spillway, which is an alarming sign. `Eventhe River Haro, which feeds the dam, has also started drying up, another official added.

Khanpur Dam is located in Khanpur village, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The dam is a primary source of water for the twin cities. However, the residents are at risk of water scarcity due to the mushroom growth of commercial activities along the Haro River, as quarries in the area continue to exert extra pressure on this precious resource.

The canals were handed over to the provincial irrigation departments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab in 1985 and 1987, respectively. The left bank canal at its tailend delivers water to the Sangjani Raw Water Reservoir, which is controlled by the Capital Development Authority and from which water is supplied to Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Farmers in the fruitgrowing areas feared that the suspension of the water supply would affect their fruit production, particularly the famed orange orchards in the region and farms of loquat and lychee.