Backwater Effect on Ghazi-Barotha Power Channel

Part of the River Indus waters have been diverted, at Ghazi (downstream of Tarbela), in the Ghazi-Barotha Power channel to generate cheap hydropower at Barotha power station. The 60,000 cusecs water passes through a 52 mile long concrete lined channel on the east of River Indus, and after passing through the power generating turbines, joins the same waters, upstream of proposed KBD site.

Since the KBD is supposed to store, and therefore head-up, the water into its tributaries. It is feared that the net fall at the hydropower station may be reduced in high floods, thereby reducing the power generation capacity.

Although, WAPDA claims to have studied the flood water reduction aspect of Ghazi-Barotha project on KBD, and found to be insignificant. Yet the backwater effects of KBD reservoir on the Ghazi-Borotha project itself has not been investigated. This becomes more important in the eventualities of highest possible flood levels, since a one-time backwater inundation of the power station may burn up the whole power station.