Water Resource Development 

Small Scale Water Development 

Apart from the major surface water development based on the flows of Indus and its tributaries, the infrequent flows, in the smaller streams have been developed through traditional means such as Rod Kohi, and more recently attention has been paid to the construction of small dams in the upland areas for local uses. All these developments are typical of water scarce environments and subject to the extreme variability in precipitation. 

Groundwater Development

A significant feature impacting on the country's water resources, has been the massive development of groundwater from the Indus Basin aquifer during the last 40 years. Initial development of groundwater, as a supplement to surface irrigation, was the outcome of the Salinity Control and Reclamation Projects (SCARPs) under which large capacity (60 to 150 lit/sec) tube-wells were installed in the public sector in the irrigated area to control water-logging. From 1960 to 1985 over 15,000 fresh water tube-wells were installed in the SCARPs when such development was relegated to the private sector. The demonstration effect of the SCARP tube-wells, however spurred the development of groundwater in the private sector by the use of small capacity (30 lit/sec) tube-wells From 1964 to 1996, the number of tube-well in the country jumped from 27,000 to 469,546 which represents an average growth rate of 9.4 percent. These private tube-wells 80 percent of which are diesel operated, are mostly located in the canal commands where they supplement the canal supplies.