CLIMATE CHANGE AND WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN THE INDUS BASIN: A FOCUS ON THE TARBELA DAM

Abstract

The Indus Basin, a transboundary river system spanning across several South Asian nations, is a vital lifeline, providing essential water resources for agriculture, industry, and domestic use for hundreds of millions of people. This basin faces increasing pressure from climate change, which is significantly impacting water availability and management. The Tarbela Dam, a massive infrastructure project on the Indus River in Pakistan, plays a crucial role in regulating water flow, generating hydropower, and supporting irrigation. However, climate change poses significant threats to the dam's functionality and the basin's overall water security. Key climate change impacts include accelerated glacier melt in the Himalayan headwaters, leading to altered river flow regimes and increased sediment loads; shifting precipitation patterns, resulting in more frequent and intense droughts and floods; and an overall increase in the frequency and severity of extreme hydrological events. These changes create substantial challenges for water management, including balancing competing water demands, mitigating flood and drought risks, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of water resources. Effective adaptation strategies are urgently needed, including improved water use efficiency, enhanced reservoir management, investment in climate-resilient infrastructure, and strengthened regional cooperation. Sustainable water resource management, incorporating climate change considerations, is essential to secure the future of the Indus Basin and the livelihoods of the populations dependent on its waters. This requires a shift towards integrated water resource management approaches, incorporating social, economic, and environmental considerations, to ensure equitable and sustainable water allocation under a changing climate.

Keywords: Climate Change, Water Resource Management, Indus Basin, Tarbela Dam