LAHORE: Pakistan’s largest water reservoir, Mangla Dam, reached its maximum conservation level of 1,242 feet above mean sea level on Thursday, according to the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).
The Wapda reported that the reservoir currently holds 7.277 Million Acre-Feet (MAF) of usable water. With this development, all three major reservoirs, Tarbela, Mangla, and Chashma, are now filled to their maximum capacity, collectively storing 13.316 MAF of live water. Officials termed the situation a positive sign for the upcoming irrigation season and hydel power generation.
Completed in 1967, Mangla Dam has played a vital role in supporting Pakistan’s agriculture, mitigating floods, and supplying clean, renewable electricity to the national grid.
Initially, the dam’s live storage capacity stood at 5.88 MAF but had declined to 4.6 MAF by 2004 due to sedimentation. However, after the completion of the Mangla Raising Project in 2004, Wapda not only recovered the lost capacity but also increased the total live storage to 7.5 MAF, an addition of 2.9 MAF, making it the country’s largest reservoir.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025