Management of Water Resources

The elements of water management, which are likely to impact on the future initiatives are treated below:

 

Federal & Provincial Roles

 

Water being a concurrent subject, both the Federal & Provincial governments have been active in the development and management of the water resources.

 

While historically the Provincial Governments have taken up the development the irrigation system, the "replacement works' under the Indus Water Treaty were constructed by WAPDA, a Federal Agency. WAPDA also took up the construction of Drainage Works for the control of water-logging and salinity, which on completion were handed over for O&M to the provinces. Hydropower development had remained a federal responsibility until recently when the provinces have been allowed to exploit small scale hydro-electric potential. The operation of the storage reservoirs primarily to meet the provincial irrigation demands (with hydropower as a by-product) is controlled by WAPDA.

 

Water Allocation

 

After protracted negotiations, the provinces finally in 1991 agreed to their respective shares in the Indus River waters for diversion into the canal systems. This , based on the seasonally available supplies, is overseen by an inter-provincial body with federal representation - the Indus River System Authority (IRSA). However the allocation of the water received by a province for different uses remains a provincial subject.

 

Control & Management of Floods

 

The control of floods with its country wide impacts is treated federally by the Federal Flood Commission. The construction and maintenance of the flood control work is however looked after by the provinces. The Federal Government through the meteorological department and hydrologic inputs by WAPDA, undertakes flood forecasting and coordinates the activities of the provincial governments in the management of flood.