Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) here Tuesday clarified that no water could go missing between Tarbela and Chashma, however, water downstream of Tarbela, at times, could be reduced marginally due to earlier low outflows and dry river bed.

Apropos a news item appearing in a section of the Press, the WAPDA spokesman said that today (Tuesday), availability of water in Tarbela and Mangla reservoirs is 0.037 and 0.269 million acre feet (MAF) respectively which is lower than the average for last 10 years due to prevalence of snowfall and cold weather in the catchments areas, resulting in lower inflows.

He said that water releases from Tarbela and Mangla reservoirs are always made in accordance with IRSA (Indus River System Authority) indent. This season, IRSA's indent, remained higher than that of the last year, due to which water level plummeted so quickly.

Comparing with the average of 10 years and the last year, he added, the outflows are increased by IRSA on demand of the provinces, meaning thereby low inflows and increased outflows have disturbed the accounted storage of water.

The situation is expected to improve as soon as weather conditions in the atchments of the reservoirs become normal, said the spokesman.

He said, the dams are constructed, primarily, for irrigation purposes, and hydel electricity is always generated through the water released as per IRSA indent.