Dams in Pakistan are one of the most important infrastructural features, playing a crucial role in its economy and infrastructure.
Pakistan is primarily an agricultural country (at least it once was). Irrigation is one of the most important uses of water. Dams serve as an essential tool for managing the country’s water resources. It ensures water is available for agriculture and other purposes throughout the year. Additionally, dams are used to generate hydroelectric power, which is a key component of Pakistan’s energy mix.
Here you’ll get the chance to have a closer look at the top ten dams in Pakistan. We’ve carefully selected these dams based on their size, capacity, and overall impact on the local community. From the massive Tarbela Dam to the scenic Khanpur Dam, we’ll explore each dam’s unique features, including their location, capacity, and benefits.
Criteria for Selection
When selecting Pakistan’s top ten dams, we considered a number of different factors. We looked at each dam’s size, capacity, and impact on the local community and the surrounding environment.
Size determines how much water the dam can hold and how much hydroelectric power it can generate. Whereas, capacity refers to the amount of water the dam can release at a given time. It is important for managing water resources and preventing flooding.
Another important factor we considered was the impact that each dam had on the local community. Many dams in Pakistan have had a significant impact on the people living in their vicinity, affecting their livelihoods, displacement, and quality of life. We made sure to take these factors into account when selecting the top ten dams.
Overall, our goal was to choose dams that represented the best of what Pakistan’s water infrastructure had to offer. We wanted to showcase the diversity of Pakistan’s dams, highlighting their various features and benefits. By taking into account size, capacity, and impact on the local community, we believe that we’ve selected the top dams that are most worthy of recognition.
Exploring all the country’s dams in one go is challenging. But you can easily visit all the beautiful places in Nathia Gali on your next trip.
The Top 10 Dams in Pakistan
Here is our list of the top ten dams in the country. The real number is more than this.
Tarbela Dam
Located on the Indus River, Tarbela Dam is the largest dam in Pakistan and one of the largest earth-filled dams in the world. With a capacity of 14.3 billion cubic meters, it provides irrigation water to over 16 million acres of land, making it a vital source of water for Pakistan’s agriculture. It also generates over 3,400 MW of electricity, making it a crucial component of Pakistan’s energy mix.
Mangla Dam
If you’re planning a tour to explore the beauty of Pakistan’s northern areas, Azad Jammu and Kashmir could be your destination. The area has lots to offer, including the Mangla Dam.
Located on the Jhelum River in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Mangla Dam is the second-largest dam in Pakistan. With a capacity of 7.4 billion cubic meters, it provides irrigation water to over 5 million acres of land, helping to support Pakistan’s agricultural sector. It also generates over 1,000 MW of electricity, contributing to Pakistan’s energy needs.
Tarbela 4th Extension
The Tarbela 4th Extension is an extension of the Tarbela Dam, which was completed in 2018. It adds an additional 1,410 MW of electricity to the national grid, making it a crucial component of Pakistan’s energy mix. The extension also increases the capacity of the Tarbela Dam by 3.9 million acre-feet, providing additional irrigation water for Pakistan’s agriculture.
Warsak Dam
Located on the Kabul River near Peshawar, Warsak Dam has a capacity of 0.04 billion cubic meters and generates over 240 MW of electricity. It’s a multipurpose dam, providing water for irrigation and drinking purposes in addition to electricity generation.
Chashma Barrage
Located on the Indus River near Mianwali, the Chashma Barrage has a capacity of 2.1 billion cubic meters and provides water for irrigation to over 3 million acres of land. It also generates over 100 MW of electricity, contributing to Pakistan’s energy needs.
Having a large dam in the area is not less than a blessing when the people face the cruelties of heat in the summer, especially for those living in the country’s few of the warmest deserts.
Hub Dam
Located in Lasbela, Balochistan, the Hub Dam has a capacity of 0.85 billion cubic meters and provides water for irrigation to over 12,000 acres of land. It also provides drinking water to the city of Karachi and generates over 60 MW of electricity.
Rawal Dam
Located in Islamabad, Rawal Dam has a capacity of 0.09 billion cubic meters and provides water for irrigation to over 4,000 acres of land. It’s also an important source of drinking water for the city of Islamabad.
Khanpur Dam
Located near Taxila in Punjab, Khanpur Dam has a capacity of 0.08 billion cubic meters and provides water for irrigation to over 12,000 acres of land. It’s also a popular tourist destination, known for its scenic beauty.
Mirani Dam
Located in the Turbat district of Balochistan, Mirani Dam has a capacity of 0.3 billion cubic meters and provides water for irrigation to over 34,000 acres of land. It also generates over 4 MW of electricity.
Gomal Zam Dam
Located on the Gomal River in South Waziristan, Gomal Zam Dam has a capacity of 1.14 billion cubic meters and provides water for irrigation to over 191,000 acres of land. It also generates over 17 MW of electricity.
All of these dams are crucial to Pakistan’s economy and infrastructure, providing irrigation water for agriculture, drinking water for communities, and electricity for the national grid. By carefully selecting the top 10 dams in Pakistan, we hope to highlight the importance of these structures and the impact they have on the country.
Additional Resources
For readers who want to learn more about the top dams in Pakistan or the country’s water infrastructure in general, here are some additional resources:
- Pakistan Water Gateway: This website provides information on the country’s water sector and related policies, including information on dams, irrigation systems, and water conservation efforts.
- Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA): WAPDA is a government agency responsible for managing Pakistan’s water and power resources. The website provides information on the country’s major dams, hydropower projects, and irrigation systems.
- Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC): The PEC is a regulatory body for engineering professionals in Pakistan. Their website provides information on the country’s engineering projects, including dams and other water infrastructure.
- International Water Management Institute (IWMI): The IWMI is a research organization that focuses on sustainable water management. Their website provides research and analysis on water-related issues in Pakistan, including the impacts of dams on local communities.
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