Transboundary Water Resources

Paula Kulis

Indus River

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 waterMore 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!

http://ai.stanford.edu/~latombe/mountain/photo/muztaghata.html

• 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?