- May 10, 2023
- Posted by: Masters
- Category: Blog
Table of Contents
Under Construction Dams in Pakistan
From the day of independence, 14th August 1947, Pakistan has been facing a water crisis. There are several factors behind it! However, the main reason is the lack of dams. The population of the country is increasing at a dramatically high pace, but the water reservoirs are very minimal.
Now this is something that leads to many other issues too, such as electricity load shedding, floods, and the list goes on.
Many governments came and fulfilled their tenure but no one paid attention to this issue. However, as time passes the crisis starts causing disasters. This gave a wake-up call to the politicians, and they started to think about resolving this issue by laying the foundation of Dams in different provinces.
So in this specific blog, we will talk about the under-construction dams in Pakistan in detail. But before that, it is essential to learn about the minor details of existing dams in Pakistan. So, read the blog till the end and do share your remarks.
Dams Exist in Pakistan
Listed below are the existing dams in Pakistan that have been serving the nation and facilitating the swift supply of water either for drinking purposes or for the generation of electricity.
Tarbela Dam
- Location = KPK
- Capacity Million Acre Feet = 6.5
- Purpose = Hydroelectric Power and Irrigation
Mangla Dam
- Location = Azad Kashmir
- Capacity Million Acre Feet = 7.4
- Purpose = Hydroelectric Power and Irrigation
Ghazi Barotha
- Location = Punjab
- Capacity Million Acre Feet = 2.4
- Purpose = Hydroelectric Power
Chashma Dam
- Location = Punjab
- Capacity Million Acre Feet = 0.1
- Purpose = Irrigation
Warsak Dam
- Location = KPK
- Capacity Million Acre Feet = 0.04
- Purpose = Hydroelectric Power
Mirani
- Location = Balochistan
- Capacity Million Acre Feet = 0.3
- Purpose = Irrigation
Hub Dam
- Location = Sindh
- Capacity Million Acre Feet = 0.6
- Purpose = Drinking Water and Irrigation
Rawal Dam
- Location = Punjab
- Capacity Million Acre Feet = 0.1
- Purpose = Drinking Water and Irrigation
Khanpur Dam
- Location = Punjab
- Capacity Million Acre Feet = 0.1
- Purpose = Drinking Water and Irrigation
List of Under Construction Dams in Pakistan
Given below are some of the dams that are under construction in Pakistan:
Naulong Dam
An embankment dam, Naulong Dam is currently under construction on the Mula River. It is almost 30 km away from Gandawah City, Balochistan. The project developers are Descon Engineering Limited. They are widely recognized across Pakistan as the biggest contractor in the nation.
Construction Cost
- PKR 2.85 Billion
Type of Dam
- Zoned Earth-fill Dam
Total Capacity
- 0.242 MAF
Dasu Dam
Dasu Dam is an under-construction dam in Pakistan that is located on the Indus River. This is a project of WAPDA and plays a key role in the Water Vision 2025 of the company. The dam’s construction began back in January 2020 and will be completed by 2025.
Construction Cost
- 4.278 Billion Dollars
Type of Dam
- Gravity, Roller Compacted Concrete Dam
Total Capacity
- 1.41 MAF
Dadocha Dam
Dadocha Dam is being developed by Frontier Works Organization. This dam is constructed to solve the water crises in Rawalpindi. The dam when completed will supply 35 million gallons of water to the residents.
Construction Cost
- 7 Billion Dollars
Type of Dam
- Gravity, Roller Compacted Concrete Dam
Total Capacity
- 0.6 MAF
Jalozai Dam
Currently under construction in the Jalozai region of Pakistan which is located near the Pakistan-Afghanistan Border. This dam will provide water to 800 acres of land. The current location of the project is district Nowshera.
Construction Cost
- 7 Billion Dollars
Type of Dam
- Gravity, Roller Compacted Concrete Dam
Total Capacity
- 0.127 MAF
Nai Gaj Dam
The dam was announced back in May 2012. The project was delayed because of various political issues. As per the reports, 51% of the project was completed back in 2018. Now, the dam is expected to be completed around 2024.
Construction Cost
- 7 Billion Dollars
Type of Dam
- Concrete, gravity Dam
Total Capacity
- 0.16 MAF
Kurram Tangi Dam
Located on the Kurram River. This dam is built to provide electricity and irrigation. According to the developers of the project, this dam will be constructed in two phases. The dam has the capacity to provide 18 MW of electricity and can irrigate a land of 16,000 acres.
Construction Cost
- 3-4 Billion Dollars
Type of Dam
- Concrete, gravity Dam
Total Capacity
- 0.15 MAF
Darawat Dam
This one is located near Jhangri, Sindh, Pakistan. The construction of the dam started back in March 2010 during the reign of the Pakistan Peoples Party. The dam is half operational and half is yet to be completed.
Construction Cost
- 9.4 Billion Dollars
Type of Dam
- Concrete, gravity Dam
Total Capacity
- 0.15 MAF
Basha Dam
One of the most widely known under-construction dams in Pakistan is Basha Dam. This dam is also known as Diamer-Bhasha Dam. Not only this one is a hyped project, but it is also a significant project as well, in terms of its scale and the promise of value addition for the nation.
Some of the biggest management names such as WAPDA, the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and the Government of Pakistan are handling the project.
Construction Cost
- 14 Billion Dollars
Type of Dam
- Gravity, Roller Compacted Concrete Dam
Total Capacity
- 0.87 MAF
Mohmand Dam
Mohammed Dam is an under-construction dam in Pakistan that is located on the Swat River and is just 37 km away from the city of Peshawar. Not only this dam will produce water for irrigation, but it will also protect the Nowshera and Charsadda districts from urban flooding.
This one will also contain a reservoir for recreational purposes.
Construction Cost
- 1.2 Billion Dollars
Type of Dam
- Concrete-faced Rock-filled Dam
Total Capacity
- 0.15 MAF
What are the Main Functions of Dams?
Dams play a very crucial and underrated role in the progress of a country. These magnificent structures are not only impertinent for holding great amounts of water but also prevent the nearby areas from the aftereffects of flooding.
From the generation of clean and renewable sources of electricity to the production of electricity, dams are necessary not only for agriculture but also for irrigation purposes of a country.
Interesting Facts About the Dams in Pakistan
Let us educate you about some of the most interesting facts regarding the Dams of Pakistan:
- Tarbela Dam is the biggest dam in Pakistan with a capacity of 6.5 million per acre-feet.
- Warsak Dam is the smallest dam in Pakistan with a capacity of 0.04 million per acre-feet.
- Kurran Garhi Dam is the first ever dam in Pakistan. It is located near Peshawar in KPK.
Dams in Pakistan – An Inevitable Means towards Sustainable Growth
In any country, dams are necessary for the overall maintenance of resources and resource optimization. They act as water reservoirs and are impertinent for a country’s economy. As the real estate scenario of Pakistan is evolving with promising projects such as Lahore Smart City, the need for us to adopt dams as a way of modern and sustainable living is necessary.
