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WATER SHORTAGE; ITS CAUSES, IMPACTS AND REMEDIAL MEASURES

Conference Paper · December 2013

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WATER SHORTAGE; ITS CAUSES, IMPACTS AND REMEDIAL MEASURES

FARHAN HUSSAIN WAGAN1 & SALIM KHOSO2

1
Lab: Engineer, Department of Civil Engineering, Quaid-e-Awam University College of Engineering Science & Technology Larkano, (Sindh),
2
Lecturer, Department of Civil Engineering, Quaid-e-Awam University College of Engineering Science & Technology Larkano, (Sindh), Pakistan
__
ABSTRACT

With two thirds of the earth's surface covered by water, it is evidently clear that water is one of the most
important elements responsible for life on earth. It is not only vital for sustenance of life, but equally essential for
socio-economic development. Water is the unique gift of God and the basic requirement of life. Due to the high
indulgence and exploitation of human being with nature, the global environment is changing every day. As a
result the water resources are depleting gradually. The global fresh water shortage and food security issues related
to the teeming billions of population necessitated the shifting of fresh water from agriculture to other more
pressing uses. The country is facing the worst ever crises of water shortage for last many years, as water available
for any given use has become increasingly scarce. The rapidly growing population, expanding of irrigation areas,
and growing urban & Industrialization are putting more stresses on water resources. The problem of water
shortage particular in Sindh is crucial as being the end user and lower riparian on the Indus basin irrigation
system.

Keywords: Water, Wastage, Irrigation, Agriculture, Economy

INTRODUCTION
Although large scale water resources development has been taking place in the world, but until vast majority of
people shall do not have enough potable water for drinking and canal water for irrigation.
The distribution of water supply for drinking purpose is quite appalling in modern times, Mean time the
downstream people are not suitably protected against flood or disaster hits due to the improper management.
Irrigation is the main stay of Pakistan’s economy, around 90% of total agriculture output of the country is totally
dependent on irrigation. It is clear that water resources have played very important role in the development of land
and water storage system. More than half of world’s population lives in developing countries and the poorest of
these communities depend heavily on exploitation of local water resources for their livelihood.

Importance
• Agriculture is important sector in the development of country, taking broader perspective on
contribution of agriculture to gross domestic production and including associated support services, the
agriculture actually accounts the major portion of the total economy.
• It makes possible in foreign exchange earning and job employment.
• 70% of the population depends directly upon agriculture.
• Food and fibre is the basic need of the country.
• Improvement in agriculture productivity is must for food security, at present from 80 Mha geographical
Area, 29.6 Mha is suitable for agriculture and from that 13.3 Mha is canal irrigated and 3.5 is rain fed.
• Agriculture acts as an industry and it is gaining recognition for its importance in combating wide spread
rural poverty and acts as stabilizing factor in the national economy. It is clear from the above facts that it
becomes indispensable to manage water resources and agriculture properly.

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• Human need Quantity/ day Reference

• Drinking from 3 to 5 liters per capita (Molle, 2003)
• House hold from 200 to 400 liters per capita (Molle, 2003)
• Irrigation
• Irrigation is from 2000 to 5000 liters per capita per day
Be converted to vapour through the biophysical process (Molle, 2003)
• Industrial use
• one automobile coming out from assembly needs 150,000 litres (Walton, 1970)
• Every litre of gasoline takes for refining 300 litres of water (Walton, 1970)
• Each kilowatt hour energy generation 225 litres (Walton, 1970)
requires for thermal conversion

MATERIALS
There are many causes of water shortage but the main are:
1. Very less downpour, The Hydrological cycle determines the set of processes that maintains the flow of
water through the system. The hydrological cycle depend upon evaporation, due to high contamination of
wet lands, oceans, rivers the process is affected badly. Cutting of large areas of jungle according to UN
report in Pakistan from 7000 to 9000 hectares jungle is removed yearly and now it is only 5% instead of
25 % of Total land.
2. In-sufficient water storages
a. Canada ________ 694 MAF
b. U.S.A. ________ 1420 MAF
c. China ________ 2280 MAF
d. India ________ 245 MAF
e. Pakistan ________ 13.20 MAF due to silting up of reservoirs.

i. Warsak ________ 0.0495 MAF

ii. Rawal ________ 0.0475 MAF
iii. Mangla ________ 5.6000 MAF
iv. Tarbella ________ 10.2000 MAF
v. Khan pur ________ 0.0590 MAF
vi. Tanda ________ 0.0788 MAF
vii. Hub ________ 0.0924 MAF
16.1272 MAF

GLOBAL POPULATION POSITION UN ESTIMATED.

In 2006 – 6.7 billions, increasing at a rate of 78 million/ year has reached now 7.13 billions
Prediction – 10.9 billions up to 2050.
90% growth rate occurs in developing countries; already such countries are facing many problems of food, fibre,
health and education.
Pakistan is sixth most populous nation in the world with 19.3 million population growing at a rate of 1.52% year
(2013).

INDUS WATER TREATY

Soon after 1947, the dispute of water distribution arose between Pakistan and India. The treaty was signed through
World Bank in 1960. According to this treaty all waters of eastern rivers (Ravi-Beas and Sutlej) shall be available
for un-restricted use of India.
Total water sold 24MAF, irrigating some Area of 8MA of land. The IWT took place in 62 million pounds.

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WATER WASTAGE

TOTAL AVAILABLE SURFACE WATER AND LOSSES

142 MAF from all surface sources

50 MAF Losses River & Sea

92 MAF

29 MAF losses from canals

63 MAF

30 MAF Addition from tube wells

93 MAF

37 MAF losses from W. Cs

56 MAF

14 MAF losses from Lands

42 MAF NET USE

DISCUSSION
No kind of irrigation engineering work can be under taken without ample knowledge of the water availability. A
correct estimate of available water for irrigation is a pre-condition of success. In addition quality and quantity of
water has to be assessed before its utility. The water supply available for agriculture is derived from freezed ice,
surface storages and ground entrapment. But the actual and only recharging source is the rainfall. Rainfall is
normally inadequate to sustain more than a very low level of agricultural production, particularly in semi-arid
regions. This requires the effective watershed management for harvesting the surface and sub-surface runoff and
preparation of water budget from all sources.

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The irrigation water is becoming a diminishing source in Pakistan and the whole world. It is clear from the global
facts that for sustainable and further development of the agriculture sector, storages are must at proper places with
proper planning and management.

IMPACT OF WATER SHORTAGE

The main points are:-
a. Shortage in cropped lands (Out of 80 Mha, 29 Mha land is cultivable but only 17 Mha is hardly canal
irrigated yet), therefore import of food grains put additional stress on economy.
b. Hydro Power. Pakistan has an estimated potential of 40,000 MW of hydropower in the upper Indus
region; we have tapped only 13%. At present Pakistan has a power generation capacity of 19246 MW,
out of which only 30% is from hydel and nuclear where as 70% is from thermal. WAPDA has projected
a power requirement of 75149 MW by year 2025, which can only be achieved by constructing additional
storage dams.

c. Effects of Urbanization / Industries. Water shortage in turn is also affecting:-

(1) Availability of water for urban use.

(2) Industrial use

(3) Flow downstream Kotri.

d. Ground Water. Shortage of surface water has put tremendous pressure on ground water.

Over drawing of ground water by users to compensate the shortage. In turn reduced recharging owing to less
percolation. This has resulted rising of saline water lens nearer to the ground surface.

e. Effect on National Harmony. The worst impact of water shortage is that, it is creating bitter
controversy between provinces, which is affecting national integration and creating disharmony between
provinces.

REMEDIAL MEASURES
1. Increase in water storage reservoirs
2. Preparation of effective water policies
3. Planning and preparation of water budget
4. Management for harvesting seepage as well runoff.
5. Proper use of Irrigation water.
6. Re-use of waste water for irrigation

Effective management
The water resources development is embedded in the socio-economic environment. The effective development
depends upon:
• Development policies be prepared by the state
• Population growth

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• Economic frame work, considering the agriculture as Industry

• Availability water resources and effective harvesting methods of runoff
• Water wastage through entire system, percolation, evaporation and methods of irrigation.
• Crop patronage, seasons, duration and effective rainfall
• Food and fibre demand and future requirement, considering the growth rate of population.
More specific identification of issues will help in preparing various models for quality & quantity studies.

Investigation
• Feasibility investigation of required sources in detail
• River basin development study of its all parameters
• Regional development policy applicable to the area using water
• National development policy in light of water rules
For the socio-economic and environmental development, it is necessary to conduct the above investigation.

RECOMMENDATIONS
• Food and fibre is the pressing need of every one, therefore proper management of water resources is
necessary.
• Statistics of yearly water budget will help in effective planning of water resources.
• A one century old irrigation system is now posing the serious problem of water wastage through seepage,
it requires proper rehabilitation at required level.
• The water users be awared properly about the importance, availability and effective use of water through
social mobilization.
• Institutional management, effective planning and wise use of water is the requirement of time.
• Furrow as method of cultivation and trickle as method of irrigation be implemented effectively.
• Water rights, rules and policies be framed to control wicked problems like tampering of modules, water
theft and pilferage etc.
• Instead of land tax, now Tax be fixed on water quantity

CONCLUSIONS
More than 70% of the population lives in rural areas and the poorest of these communities depend heavily on
exploitation of local natural resources for their livelihoods. Management becomes important when the productive
resource is water and depleting day by day. Awareness through all possible means about the environment calls for
reduced abstraction and higher quality return flows. A national policy is necessary to achieve sustainable
agriculture growth. The problem of water shortage be investigated up to its grassroots, then on the basis of that an
effective solution be produced and implemented.
Growing urban concentration and industrialization along the rivers on one side led to the significant abstraction of
fresh water and on other side put negative impacts on water quality. Therefore water balance, water quality and
water accounting is must for sustainable water supply for all possible uses.

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REFERENCES

[1] K.R. Sharma (1949) Irrigation Engineering Volume – II.

[2] Santosh Kumar Garg (1976) Irrigation Engineering and Hydraulic Structures.

[3] Clarke, R. (1993) Water: The International Crisis Earth scan , London.

[4] Iqbal Ali 1993 Irrigation and Hydraulic Structures Theory, design and practice.

[5] Molden, D. (1997) Accounting for water use and productivity. SWIM Paper No.1,
International Irrigation Management Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

[6] Heathcote, I.W. (1998) Integrated Watershed Management. Principles and Practice. John Wiley and Sons,
New York.

[7] Cleaver, F. (1999) Paradoxes of participation: questioning participatory ` approaches to development.

Journal of International Development 11, 597 – 612.

[8] Allan, J.A. (1999) Productive efficiency and allocate efficiency: why better water management may not
solve the problem Agricultural Water Management 40,71-75.
[9] Burton, M. (1999) Note on proposed framework and activities. Prepared for the IWMI.DSI.CEVMBER
Research Programme on Institutional Support Systems for Sustainable Management of Irrigation in Water
– Short Basins, Izmir.

[10] Mehta, I., (2000) Water for the twenty-first century; challenges and misconceptions. IDS Working Paper
111. IDS, Brighton.

[11] Wikipedia the free encyclopedia.

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