Water Resources & Irrigation System

The Nara Canal, originating from the Sukkur Barrage on the Indus River, is the longest canal in Pakistan. It was completed in 1932 and serves as a vital artery for irrigation in the eastern parts of the Sindh province, flowing through Khairpur and Sanghar districts.

The Upper Bari Doab Canal (UBDC) is the oldest major canal in the system, with its construction dating back to 1859 during the colonial era. It originates from the Madhopur Headworks on the Ravi River and was a pioneering project for the colonization of the Punjab plains.

The Pat Feeder Canal was completed in 1962 and takes its water from the Guddu Barrage on the Indus River. It is a critical source of water for the arid regions of Nasirabad and Jafarabad in Balochistan, often referred to as the 'Green Belt' of the province.

The Lower Chenab Canal, originating from the Khanki Barrage on the Chenab River, is known as the largest canal system in the world in terms of the area it irrigates. Established in 1892, it plays a massive role in the agricultural productivity of the Rechna Doab.

Completed in 2019, the Pehur High Level Canal is one of the most modern irrigation projects in KPk. It draws its water from the Tarbela Dam on the Indus River to provide efficient irrigation to the surrounding regions of Swabi and Nowshera.

The Chashma Barrage was built on the Indus River and completed in 1971. It has a significant discharge capacity of 26,905 cusecs and serves as a major diversion point for link canals, specifically the Chashma-Jhelum link.

The Thal Canal system originates from the Jinnah Barrage (at Kalabagh) on the Indus River. Completed around 1947, it was designed to reclaim the vast desert lands of the Thal region in Punjab, turning them into productive agricultural fields.

According to historical records of the Sindh irrigation network, the Pinyari Canal, which is fed by the Kotri Barrage, is considered the oldest canal in the province. It serves the lower Indus regions and plays a vital role in coastal agriculture.

The CJ Link Canal (Chashma-Jhelum) is part of the Indus Basin Settlement Plan. It diverts water from the Indus River at the Chashma Barrage to the Jhelum River to maintain water levels in the lower reaches of the system following Indian diversions of eastern rivers.

The Trimmu Barrage is located at the confluence of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers in the Jhang district. It was completed in 1939 and manages the distribution of water to the Haveli and Rangpur canal systems, vital for central Punjab.

Punjab, often called the 'land of five rivers,' has the most extensive canal irrigation network in Pakistan. Its system includes some of the oldest and largest canals built during the colonial era and significant post-independence expansions under the Indus Basin Project.

The Warsak Canal takes its water from the Warsak Dam, which is constructed on the Kabul River. Completed in 1960, it provides essential irrigation and drinking water to the Peshawar valley in KPk and is a major multi-purpose project.

The Sidhnai Canal originates from the Sidhnai Barrage on the Ravi River. Completed in 1886, it is a key component of the irrigation system serving the southern districts of Punjab, particularly the agricultural heartland around Multan.

The Kotri Barrage, located near Hyderabad on the Indus River, was completed in 1955. It is also famously known as the Ghulam Muhammad Barrage and feeds several important canals like Fuleli and Pinyari, also supplying water to Karachi.

The Marala-Ravi (MR) is an inter-river link canal that transfers water from the Chenab River (at Marala Headworks) to the Ravi River. These link canals are vital for distributing water across the Indus Basin to compensate for water lost to India.

Mailsi is home to one of the major syphons in Pakistan's irrigation network. Syphons are engineering structures that allow a canal to pass under a river (in this case, the Sutlej) or another waterway, ensuring uninterrupted flow of irrigation water.

Both the Sadiqia and Fordwah canals are fed by the Sulemanki Barrage on the Sutlej River. They were constructed during the Sutlej Valley Project era to irrigate the southeastern parts of Punjab, specifically Bahawalnagar and Bahawalpur districts.

The Sukkur Barrage is the backbone of Sindh's irrigation, feeding seven major canals: Nara, Rohri, Rice, Dadu, Northwest, Khairpur East, and Khairpur West. It is one of the largest irrigation systems of its kind globally.

The Upper Swat Canal originates from the Amandara Headworks on the Swat River. Completed in 1915, it is a primary source of irrigation for the fertile lands of the Swat and Malakand divisions, passing through the Benton Tunnel.

Among the major barrages on the Indus River, the Guddu Barrage is notable for its length of approximately 1,458.33 meters. Completed in 1963, it serves several large canals feeding Sindh and Balochistan, including the Pat Feeder.