From the Himalayan mountains to the coast of the Arabian Sea, a large part of Pakistan is covered by the Indus River basin. The Tarbela Dam in this basin is an important component of the Indus Basin Project, which was created in 1960 through the Water Treaty between Pakistan and India. Pakistan’s access to water resources was guaranteed by the treaty, which ignored India’s sovereignty over the upper reaches of the rivers. Tarbela Dam was built mostly to store water rather than generate electricity and was completed in 1977.
The amount of silt and soil particles carried by water released through the dam’s spillways is reflected in the turquoise water of the Indus River, which is held back by the dam. It is the world’s largest earth-and-rock dam, 147 meters above the river bank, and its volume is enormous. Although the dam has proved effective in storing water for agricultural purposes, its construction has resulted in damage to the Indus River Delta.
Due to the dam, the delta region has experienced flooding and reduced water flow, leading to the destruction of mangrove stands and the decline of many fish species. It shows the complex relationship between critical infrastructure initiatives and their impact on the environment. However, the Tarbela Dam remains an important part of Pakistan’s water management infrastructure, allowing the nation to efficiently utilize its water resources for other uses, including agriculture.
