Indus River

Transboundary Water Resources

Paula Kulis
http://debrisson.free.fr/images/pakistan/indus.jpg

River System

http://www.sju.edu/cas/theology/Courses/2141/Topics/Indus/

http://images.encarta.msn.com/xrefmedia/aencmed/targets/maps/map/T028780A.gif

Pakistan
in 1947
http://www.dams.org/docs/kbase/studies/drafts/pkscope.pdf

http://165.29.91.7/classes/humanities/worldstud/97-98/imper/india/India.htm

Within the British Empire

Canals link regions in the basin together
23 barrages
45 canals

Overarching Authority to settle disputes

Modern-day Pakistan is major beneficiary
of development
Historic use

Timeline Part I
1930s: British Empire begins allowing
more independence in states
Conflict

1947: India and Pakistan become

independent states
Pakistan has historic use
India is upper riparian
Also have conflict over Kashmir
Punjab
Interim Agreement

Timeline Part II
1948: India cuts off flow to Pakistan
through 2 canals
Crops fail
Tension on resumption of flow

1951: World Bank steps in

Negotiations take almost 10 years

1960: Indus Waters Treaty

Pakistan wants separation of water
supplies
India has control over the eastern rivers
Ravi, Sutlej, Beas

Pakistan has control over the western

rivers
Indus, Chenab, Jhelum

1960: Indus Waters Treaty

WB helps fund projects in Pakistan to
compensate water loss (IBP)
Tarbela and Mangla Dams

Tarbela was the largest earth-filled dam at the

time
10 year transition period
Commission to meet every year

www.dams.org/images/ maps/map_tarbela_bw.htm

Benefits for Pakistan

More water
Flood attenuation
More agricultural land
Hydropower
More independence
from India

http://www.dams.org/docs/kbase/studies/drafts/pkscope.pdf

Problems With the IBP

Water logging
Water table up to 1 m below surface in some
places

Salinity
Sedimentation
Impacts hydropower

Resettlement
Environment

Problems with the Treaty

Old treaty
population has changed water needs
India is depleting aquifers
Urbanization has increased municipal
demands

Left India as the upper Riparian to

Pakistan
Total separation of water resources
(is this really a problem?)

Recent Developments
India is planning the Baglihar Hydropower
Project on the Chenab River
Pakistan claims a violation of the Treaty
WB stepping in again
Other previous development projects

India has stopped attending annual

Commission meetings
Kashmir

Questions!
Do you think that the treaty is a
sustainable one, or is it out-dated?
What important lessons can be learned
from the Tarbela Dam project?
Would it be beneficial for Pakistan and
India to integrate their water systems? Is it
possible without conflict?
http://ai.stanford.edu/~latombe/mountain/photo/muztaghata.html