UAE Eyes Pakistan's Water Resources
A top UAE businessman has proposed building a 500 kilometer long pipeline to bring Pakistan's Dasht River water from the Makran coast to Fujaira for United Arab Emirates' water security.
Water-scarce Pakistan itself needs to store and use the Dasht River water for development of Balochistan, particularly Gwadar and other related projects as part of the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Abdullah Al Shehi, the CEO of GeoWash, has argued that the Dasht River floods annually, which has prompted the Pakistani government to empty the excess water through channels leading to the sea. That excess water, said Mr Al Shehi, could be put to use in the UAE, according to a report in the UAE's newspaper "The National".
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Dasht River |
Dasht River:
Dasht River is located in Makran region and Gwadar District, in the southwestern section of Balochistan Province, in southwestern Pakistan. The Kech River, a seasonal intermittent river, is a tributary of the Dasht River which flows southeast through the Central Makran Range in the Gwadar District of Balochistan into the Gulf of Oman in the Arabian Sea.
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Mirani Dam |
Mirani Dam:
Mirani Dam was completed on Dasht River in 2006 to store over 300,000 acre-feet of fresh water to meet the needs of southern Balochistan. Mirani Dam is the largest dam in the world in terms of volume for flood protection with a floodstock of 588,690 cubic hectometer, according to International Commission On Large Dams (ICOLD). This water reservoir is essential for the development of a deep sea port and a major new metropolis in Gawadar as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. In addition to supplying fresh water to Turbat, Jiwani and Gwadar cities, it has sufficient capacity to irrigate over 33,000 acres of farm land.
UAE Water Security:
The United Arab Emirates uses 80% of its fresh water for agriculture in its arid desert and the rest of the 20% for urban needs, according to The National. Here's the key question: Does it make more sense for the UAE to import food rather than grow its own food by importing fresh water? The second question is: Can the UAE focus on desalination for the water it needs for urban use?
Summary:
Gwadar port was first conceived in late 1950s when Pakistan purchased the region from the Sultanate of Oman. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been talked about since early 1990s. But nothing was done to develop until President Pervez Musharraf allocated time, money and focus to build first several berths at Gwadar deep sea port, Coastal Highway to connect it with Karachi and Mirani Dam in Balochistan to supply water on his watch.
Now water-stressed Pakistan needs to focus on building greater water storage capacity if it's really serious about developing Gwadar, Southwestern Balochistan and the Makran coast. It must not agree to export the Dasht River water to anyone, including the UAE. Instead, it should offer to export food as necessary to meet UAE's needs.
Related Links:
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
Riaz Haq
Dams in Balochistan:
Burj Aziz Khan Dam
Garuk Dam
Naulong Dam
Pelar Dam
Sabakzai Dam
Saindak dam
Hingol dam
Mirani dam
Shakidor Dam
Sukleji Dam
Wali Tangi Dam
Winder Dam
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Dams_in_Balochistan,_Pakistan
Jan 7, 2016
Riaz Haq
Dams in Balochistan
Akra Kaur Dam Gwadar Akra Kaur River 21 metres (69 ft) 21,000,000 m3 (17,025 acre·ft) 1995
Amach Dam Mastung Amach River 15.2 metres (50 ft) 1,675,000 m3 (1,358 acre·ft) 1987
Baghak Dam
Band-e-Chaman Dam Turbat Band-e-Chaman River 15 metres (49 ft) 2,467,000 m3 (2,000 acre·ft) 1994
Bisialla Dam
Bostan Darra Dam Quetta Darra Manda River 20 metres (66 ft) 210,000 m3 (170 acre·ft) 1987
Brewary Dam
Kuchnai Dara Dam
Duz Durg Dam Mastung Duz Dur River 15.2 metres (50 ft) 49,000 m3 (40 acre·ft) 1984
Galangoor Dam
Ganj Dara Dam
Ghargi Dam Pishin n/a 15.2 metres (50 ft) 123,000 m3 (100 acre·ft) 1986
Ghat Amoon Dam
Ghunza Dam Pishin n/a 15.2 metres (50 ft) 220,000 m3 (178 acre·ft) 1984
Ghuti Shela Dam
Giwari Dam
Gogi Dam Ziarat Gogi River 16.5 metres (54 ft) 493,000 m3 (400 acre·ft) 1981
Gokar Dam
Gur Dam Kalat n/a 15.2 metres (50 ft) 498,000 m3 (404 acre·ft) 1982
Haero Dam
Hingi Dam Quetta Hingi 15 metres (49 ft) 201,000 m3 (163 acre·ft) 1995–96
Hub Dam Malir Hub River 48 metres (157 ft) 1,057,000,000 m3 (856,924 acre·ft) 1979
Khad Koocha Dam Mastung Kad Koocha River 15.2 metres (50 ft) 117,000 m3 (95 acre·ft) 1984
Khajeer Dam Qila Saifullah Khajeer River 15 metres (49 ft) 308,000 m3 (250 acre·ft) 1991
Khori Dam
Kohar Dam
Nari Kach Dam
Kullan Dam
Lalai Dam
Machka Manda Dam
Mana Storage Dam Ziarat Mana River 19.8 metres (65 ft) 1,825,000 m3 (1,480 acre·ft) 1961
Mangi Dam Ziarat Boin Viala River 18 metres (59 ft) 130,000 m3 (105 acre·ft) 1982
Mirani Dam Makran Dasht River 39 metres (128 ft) 373,000,000 m3 (302,396 acre·ft) 2007
Morinko Dam
Murghai Check Dam
Murghai Kotal Dam
Nali Mirdadzai Storage Dam
Nishpa Dam Mastung Nishpa River 15 metres (49 ft) 115,000 m3 (93 acre·ft) 1994
Nousahr Dam
Nundra Kapper Dam
Palian Dam
Pinakai Dam Qila Saifullah Pinakai River 15.2 metres (50 ft) 48,000 m3 (39 acre·ft) 1994
Rindak Storage Dam
Sabakzai Dam Zhob Zhob River 34.75 metres (114.0 ft) 32,700 acre·ft (40,334,856 m3) 2016
Sasnak Mana Storage Dam Ziarat Sasnak River 19 metres (62 ft) 271,000 m3 (220 acre·ft) 1993
Sassi Punnu Dam
Shadak Dam Pishin Shadak River 15.2 metres (50 ft) 86,000 m3 (70 acre·ft) 1983
Shadi Kaur Storage Dam
Shagai Dam Quetta n/a 15.2 metres (50 ft) 381,000 m3 (309 acre·ft) 1993
Sherran Manda Dam
Shiker Dam Pishin Shiker River 19 metres (62 ft) 61,000 m3 (49 acre·ft) 1988
Spin Dam
Spinkarez Dam Quetta Nar River and Murdar River 29 metres (95 ft) 6,800,000 m3 (5,513 acre·ft) 1945
Tabai Dam Quetta Tabai River 15 metres (49 ft) 175,000 m3 (142 acre·ft) 1994
Takhtani Dam
Tang Storage Dam
Tanga Dam
Tangi Dababri Dam
Tangi Dam Qila Saifullah Tangi River 15.2 metres (50 ft) 75,000 m3 (61 acre·ft) 1997
Thamarak Dam Pishin n/a 15.2 metres (50 ft) 241,000 m3 (195 acre·ft) 1986
Tooth Dam Kalat Tooth River 16 metres (52 ft) 490,000 m3 (397 acre·ft) 1991
Torkehezi Dam
Trikh Tangi Dam
Under Base Dam Qila Saifullah Under Base River 15.2 metres (50 ft) 86,000 m3 (70 acre·ft) 1985
Walitangi Dam Quetta Walitangi River 24 metres (79 ft) 510,000 m3 (413 acre·ft) 1961
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dams_and_reservoirs_in_Pakistan
Jan 7, 2016
Riaz Haq
Pakistan has 154 large dams, according to International Commission On Large Dams (ICOLD).
http://www.icold-cigb.org/gb/world_register/general_synthesis.asp?I...
Here are the top 10 dams in Pakistan:
Mangla
Construction Started: 1961
Completed: 1967
Located on: Jhelum River
Height: 147 meters or 482 ft.
Length: 3,140 meters or 10,302 ft.
Cost: $1.473 billion
Tarbela
Started: 1968
Completed: 1976
Located on: Indus River
Height: 143.26 meters or 470ft.
Length: 2,743.2 meters or 9,000 ft.
Cost: $1,497 million
Hub Dam
Started: 1963
Completed: 1981
Located on: Hub River
Height: 48 meters or 157 ft.
Length: 24,300 acres
Cost: Rs. 1,191.81 million
Mirani
Started: 2002
Completed: 2006
Located on: Dasht River
Height: 39 meters or 127 ft.
Length: 1,020 meters or 3,350 ft.
Cost: Rs. 5,267.90 million
Sabakzai
Started: 2004
Completed: 2007
Located on: Zohb River
Height: 34.7 m or 114 ft.
Length: 395 m or 1,296 ft.
Cost: Rs. 1.4 billion
Gomal Zam
Started: June 2007
Completed: June 2015
Located on: Gomal River
Height: 133 m or 437 ft.
Length: 231 m or 758 ft.
Cost: Rs. 18,056.060 million
Allai Khwar
Started: June 2003
Completed: March 2013
Located on: Allai Khwar River
Height: 51 m or 167 ft.
Length: 88 m or 289 ft.
Cost: Rs. 15,669.76 million
Duber Khwar
Started: June 2003
Completed: December 2013
Located on: Duber Khwar Dam
Height: 32 m or 133 ft.
Length: 202 m or 663 ft.
Cost: Rs. 22,208.1 million
Warsak
Started: 1949
Completed: 1960
Located on: Kabul River
Height: 76.2 m or 250 ft.
Length: 140.2 m or 460 ft.
Cost: Rs. 156 million
Khanpur
Started: 1968
Completed: 1983
Located on: Haro River
Height: 51 m or 167 ft.
Length: N/A
Cost: Rs. 1,352 million
http://www.thenewsteller.com/other/top-10-biggest-dams-in-pakistan-...
Jan 7, 2016
Riaz Haq
Why #SaudiArabia bought 14,000 acres of #California farm land? #CaliforniaDrought #dairy http://fw.to/2nOnouT
Saudi Arabia's largest dairy company will soon be unable to farm alfalfa in its own parched country to feed its 170,000 cows. So it's turning to an unlikely place to grow the water-chugging crop — the drought-stricken American Southwest.
Almarai Co. bought land in January that roughly doubled its holdings in California's Palo Verde Valley, an area that enjoys first dibs on water from the Colorado River. The company also acquired a large tract near Vicksburg, Arizona, becoming a powerful economic force in a region that has fewer well-pumping restrictions than other parts of the state.
The purchases totaling about 14,000 acres have rekindled debate over whether a patchwork of laws and court rulings in the West favors farmers too heavily, especially those who grow thirsty, low-profit crops such as alfalfa at a time when cities are urging people to take shorter showers, skip car washes and tear out grass lawns.
"It's not easy to completely grasp the business model of the Middle East, but it may not be about business at all," said John Szczepanski, director of the U.S. Forage Export Council. "The primary focus is food security, and the means to that end lie in acquiring the land and resources to ensure long-term supply."
For decades, Saudi Arabia attempted to grow its own water-intensive crops for food rather than rely on farms abroad. But it reversed that policy about eight years ago to protect scarce supplies.
To further conserve water, the country has adopted bans on selected crops. This year, the kingdom will no longer produce wheat. In December, the government announced the country will stop growing green fodder, livestock feed derived from crops like alfalfa, over the next three years.
Almarai already farms worldwide to make sure that weather, transportation problems or other conditions don't interrupt supplies. The expansion in the American Southwest was a "natural progression" in its effort to diversify supply, said Jordan Rose, an attorney for the company's Arizona unit.
"The cows feed multiple times a day, and they need to be certain that they are always able to fulfill that unwavering demand," she wrote.
Despite the widespread drought conditions, the U.S. is attractive to water-seeking companies because it has strong legal protections for agriculture, even though the price of land is higher than in other places.
"Southern California and Arizona have good water rights. Who knows if that will change, but that's the way things are now," said Daniel Putnam, an agronomist at the University of California, Davis.
Over the last decade, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates emerged as significant buyers of American hay as their governments moved to curb water use. Together they accounted for 10 percent of U.S. exports of alfalfa and other grasses last year.
The land purchases signal that Almarai doesn't just want to buy hay; it wants to grow. And it's not the only Arab-owned Gulf company to take that approach.
Apr 6, 2016