Ans: Major Canals and Headworks of Pakistan:
. The Bambanwaia-Ravi-Bedian-Canal (BRB) takes off from the Upper
Chenab Canal near Bambanwala, village and ends up in the Sutlej near
Kangan Pur. It was built in 1950, partly as a defense obstacle to prevent
Invasion of Lahore by India.
. The Marala-Ravi-Link-Canal was constructed in 1956. This canal flows from
Marala headworks on the Chenab river to river the Ravi. As stated earlier,
three eastern rivers were allocated to India under Indus Basin Treaty of
1960. This caused shortage of water in the areas previously irrigated by
these rivers. To meet this shortage new canals were built for example the
Trimmu-Sidhnai-Link-Canal takes water from Trimmu Head Works and gives
it to the river Ravi.
. Sidhnai-Melsi-Link-Canal takes water from Taunsa Barrage, built on the river
Indus, and drops it in the river Chenab; from there this water is distributed
among Panjnad Canals. The Tripple Canals i.e the Upper Jhelum, the Upper
Chenab and the Lower Bari Doab carry surplus water from the river Jhelum
and drop it in the river Chenab, then takes surplus water from river Chenab
and drop it in the river Ravi which later on flows into the lower Bari Doab
canal. Important headworks and barrages were put up in the Indus plain. On
the west bank of the river Indus, most important are the canals that flow from
the river Swat.
. The River Swat is a tributary of the river Kabul. These canals irrigate this
area which produces sugarcane and wheat as major crops. Jinnah Barrage,
near Kalabagh in the Indus Plain, controls the Thai Project Canals. Vast area
Pakistan Studles 10 (Federal),
of land has now been irrigated by these canals which was desert in the past.
Coming little downstream is Chashma Barrage. Canals flowning from
Chashma Barrage also irrigate Thai area. Construction of some new canals
is still underway/the Greater Thai Canal being one of them. Further
downstream on river Indus is Taunsa Barrage.
Canals flowing from Taunsa Barrage irrigate land in the districts of Dera
Ghazi Khan and Muzaffargarh. Taunsa Barrage also generates one lac kw
electricity. At 20 km north-west of Peshawar is Warsak multi-purpose project
set up on the river Kabul. This project irrigates agricultural lands and
orchards in Peshawar valley, ‘its power generating capacity is 2 lac 40
thousand kilowatts.
In the province of Sindh there are three big barrages. Sukkur Barrage
(1932), Kotri or Ghulam Muhammad Barrage (1955), Guddu Barrage (1957).
Guddu Barrage irrigates land in districts of Sukkur and Jaccobabad and
some parts of district Larkana and district Kalat. The Canals flowing from
Sukkur Barrage irrigate nearly 5 million acres of land. Kotri Barrage, also
known as Ghulam Muhammad Barrage is located near Hyderabad, a canal
on its right bank supplies water to the city of Karachi.