Khawaja Zaheer Ahmed - PDMA

f. Flood damage to WAPDA infrastructure was mainly incurred in Chashma
Barrage, Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal, Chashma Right Bank Canal
(CRBC), Raini and Kachhi canals, and Right Bank Outfall Drain.
g. The irrigation infrastructure in Sindh incurred the greatest damage, 43% of
total, followed by KP 27%, Punjab 14% and Balochistan 12%........ Overall,
44 percent of the damage was incurred by Canal systems, 36 percent by
flood embankments, 10 percent by barrages and head works, 7 percent by
drainage systems and 3 percent by other infrastructure.
The DNA has revealed several weaknesses in the irrigation sectors (i)
deferred maintenance of flood embankments; (ii) insufficient reservoir/storage
capacity to absorb flood peaks; (iii) lack of response mechanisms to early
warnings; (iv) need for expanding flood early warning system (FEWS); and (v)
encroachment of the flood plains and riverine areas. The aging infrastructure and
deferred maintenance needs immediate attention. The breaches in flood
protection embankments along the Indus River caused the main damage,
and none occurred due to overtopping. The climate change will cause more
frequent extreme floods in future, which needs to be taken into account while
reviewing structural designs, and maintenance requirements. In addition, a
comprehensive inspection protocol is needed for critically important major river
training works and embankments.
h. A natural response is to review the country’s overall flood management
strategy and implement a comprehensive long-term multifaceted flood
management program. The following elements could be considered for
this review: enhancing the absorptive capacity of catchments to prolong
run-off concentration time; building additional reservoirs to absorb flood
peaks; enhancing discharge capacity of the existing barrages and river
training works; adopting a “living with the floods” approach for the riverine
areas in Punjab and Sindh; improving and expanding flood forecasting
and early warning systems; and enhancing evacuation and flood relief
capacities.’ [Source: Planning Commission, Government of Pakistan:
December Report 2010]
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