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Water Flow at Kotri Barrage Drops Alarming 85% Since 1960
Indus dying? Experts warn Kotri Barrage flow may stop by 2040. Water decline threatens delta, crops, & cities like Karachi.
ND
by News Desk
2025-05-30
Water Flow at Kotri Barrage Drops Alarming 85% Since 1960

The water flow downstream of the Kotri Barrage has dropped to a critically low level due to the construction of dams, canals, and link channels on the Indus River, with irrigation experts warning that Sindh may receive no water beyond Kotri by 2040 if this trend continues.

A report submitted by retired Chief Engineer Haji Khan Jamali highlights a sharp and consistent decline in water flow, exposing alarming statistics that point to an environmental and human catastrophe in the making.

 

📉 Water Flow Collapse: The Data Speaks

According to historical records:

·       1955–1960: 84.92 million acre-feet (MAF)

·       1960–1980: 46.66 MAF

·       1980–2000: 30.32 MAF

·       2000–2020: Only 13 MAF

·       2025 (Kharif season so far): Just 0.061 MAF

Experts reveal that the flow has reduced by approximately 16 MAF every 20 years, indicating a trajectory that will reach zero by 2040 if large-scale water infrastructure continues to be developed upstream.

 

🛑 Delta Death & Sea Intrusion

Due to this drastic reduction in water flow:

·       15 out of 17 creeks of the Indus have dried up; only Kobar and Kar Creek remain active.

·       The Indus Delta has shrunk to 10% of its original size.

·       Over 215,900 acres of fertile coastal land in Thatta, Sujawal, and Badin districts have been lost to the sea.

·       Entire villages in Keti Bandar, Ghora Bari, Mirpur Sakro, Shah Bandar, and Jati have been displaced due to seawater intrusion.

Sea waves are now actively encroaching inland due to the lack of countering freshwater discharge.

 

⚠️ Impact of Dams and Canals

The report links the water crisis to the following major infrastructure developments:

·       Tarbela Dam (1976)

·       Mangla Dam (1967)

·       Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal (1971)

·       Taunsa-Panjnad Link Canal (1976)

·       Bhasha Dam (under construction, 8 MAF)

·       Mohmand Dam (1.2 MAF)

·       Kurram Tangi Dam

Originally designed for flood diversion, many of these canals have now become permanent structures, diverting vital flows from the Indus River and accelerating the decline of water reaching Sindh.

 

🧾 Blame on Policy & Treaties

Experts blame the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, under which Pakistan ceded rights to the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers to India, and allowed India limited rights on Jhelum and Indus. Additionally, 10,000 cusecs of Jhelum water was diverted to India, resulting in a permanent reduction in inflow into the lower Indus basin.

They also allege that institutions like WAPDA and IRSA misrepresent water availability figures, creating a false basis for approving new upstream water projects.

 

🚨 What’s at Stake?

·       Drinking water crisis in major Sindh cities including Karachi and Hyderabad

·       Collapse of agriculture in coastal and delta regions

·       Destruction of aquatic biodiversity and riverine ecosystems

·       Forced displacement of deltaic communities

 

📣 Call to Action

Experts urge a complete halt to the construction of any further dams, barrages, or link canals on the Indus River. They also demand a transparent and independent water audit to reassess current usage and reallocate flows more equitably, with protection of Sindh’s water rights as a priority.

 
Tagged:

SindhWaterCrisis

SaveIndus

KotriBarrage

DeltaDying
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