TAXILA: The water level in Khanpur Dam has fallen to a critically low level, just eight feet above the dead level, raising alarms about a looming crisis for its civic beneficiaries of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Water supply for irrigation purposes to both KP and Punjab had already been suspended around a month ago.

According to Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), the reservoir level stood at 1918 feet on Saturday which is significantly below the conservation level of 1980 feet and alarmingly close to the dead level of 1910 feet. The inflowinto the dam has declined to just 29 cusecs while the outflow is being maintained at 106 cusecs.

With the plummeted water level, water sports activities in the dam have declined to the lowest level of the year. During high temperatures the dam becomes a favourite tourist destination. Wapda authorities said presently civic agencies of Islamabad and Rawalpindi were receiving only 50 cusecs of water, which was also at the risk of being halted.

Khanpur Dam reaches optimal levels during and after the monsoon season. However, changing weather patterns, prolonged dry spells and glacial melt mismanagement have resulted in erratic inflows. In June last year, the reservoir level stood around 1935 feet, with more than double the current inflow.

Officials were however hopeful that the onset of monsoon rains later this month will help replenish the dam`s reserves.

On the other hand, hydrologists blame climate variability, poorcatchment management and increased urban demand for the current state of water stress. `This is not just a seasonal anomaly, it is a structural problem that needs longterm planning,` said an irrigation department official.

Khanpur Dam is a primary source of drinking water for Islamabad and Rawalpindi, in addition to irrigating agricultural lands in Haripur district and parts of Punjab. With water storage levels hitting a historic low for midJune, residents may soon experience interrupted supply, reduced water pressure and increased dependence on tankers.

`Water shortages are already being felt in low-lying areas, where supply hours have been reduced, said an official of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

`We may have no choice but to initiate emergency water conservation protocols if the situation doesn`t improve in the next two weeks.

Authorities have appealed to the public to reduce water consumptionand avoid unnecessary wastage.

Water-intensive activities such as car washing, lawn watering andunnecessary pipeline flushing are being discouraged. At the same time, government agencies areunder pressure to review water release protocols and launch public awareness campaigns.