Flood Forecasting and Management System in Pakistan

Extracted from UNDP / PDMA workshop proceedings

Subjects

• Definition of Flood Control System;

• Types of Flood Forecasts;

• Pakistan - River System;

• Flood Risk Management-Agencies Involved;

• Flood Control System in place at the National, Provincial and District Level and Its

Working;

• Role of District Authorities in disseminating early warning.

Definition of Flood Control System

To forewarn the communities (riverine/nullah/valley) living downstream of the river system/stream/nullah/glacial lake etc. about likelihood of approaching of High or Very High or Exceptionally High discharges for the sake of:

i) Taking real time evacuation /preventive/safety measures on immediate term basis; and

ii) Structural and non-structural measures on medium and long term basis.

Flood Forecasts – For Existing Flood Control System

• Color Coded Qualitative Flood Forecasts;
• Weather/Flood Forecasts;
• Routine Daily Flood Forecasts;
• Significant Flood Forecasts;
• Areal Inundation Flood Forecasts.

Types of Flood Forecasts

· Color Coded Qualitative Flood Forecasts:

Meant to forewarn the frontline flood mitigation authorities regarding the possibility of floods due to arrival of monsoon low/depression in the vicinity of Pakistan. This forecast is issued in three color codes.

· Weather/Flood Forecasts:

Such forecasts give a descriptive information on the current and the next 24-hours weather and flood situation

· Routine Daily Flood Forecasts;

It also contains the current and the 24 hours weather and flood situation. But it gives the quantitative information of the magnitude of prevailing and the forecasted flood flows at the maximum number of direct or indirect recipients.

Types of Flood Forecasts

· Significant Flood Forecasts:

It is the forecast of occurrence of a “High” or “Above High” level flood classification at a specific site/locations over a river and/or nullah within the Indus Basin River System

· Areal Inundation Flood Forecasts:

This forecast is issued only when “Exceptionally High Flood” occurs and the areal inundation is forecasted on the basis of hydrodynamic model.

Present Flood Control System – Agencies Involved

1. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA);

2. Federal Flood Commission (FFC);

3. Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD);

4. Flood Forecasting Division (FFD);

5. Pakistan Army (Engineering Corps);

6. Four Provincial Irrigation and Power Departments (PIDs);

7. Water and Power Development Authority of Pakistan (WAPDA);

8. Emergency Relief Cell, Cabinet Division, Islamabad;

9. Provincial Flood Relief Departments/PDMAs;

10. SDMA (For AJ&K), similar arrangements for FATA, NA;

11. Pakistan Commissioner For Indus Waters (PCIW);

12. Police Information Department;

13. Pakistan Forest Department;

14. Pakistan Railways;

15. Information Department;

16. Provincial Communication & Works Departments;

17. Civil Defence;

18. District Administrations/DDMAs

Flood Control System In Place

• Flood Forecasting Division (NFFD), at Lahore;
• 10-CM QPM Weather Radar System at Sialkot, Lahore & Mangla, 5 CM Weather Radars at Karachi, Rahim Yar Khan, D.I.Khan and Islamabad;

• 90-HF Radio Communication sets for effective rainfall, river flow/stream flow data receipt and transmission;
• Meteoroburst Telecommunication System for improved flood gauging & elemetry through collection of real time hydromet from remote sites and its dissemination;
• Flood Plain maps;

Flood Control System In Place

• Indus Basin Flood Forecasting System (FFS) through Rainfall-Runoff Computer modeling;
• Wireless Network;
• Structural interventions on various primary and secondary rivers;
• Urban Flood Control System;
• Flood Warning Manual;
• Dams Management Committees;
• Coordination Committee at Federal Level.

FLOOD FORECASTING DIVISION,(FFD), LAHORE ( H.F.RADIO NETWORK)

TARBELA

Besham, Jaglot,

Skardu, Daggar

Phulra, Oghi,

Shinkiari, Khairabad,

Nowshera

MANGLA

Kallar, G.H.Ullah,

Muzaffarabad, Domel,

Kotli, Kohala,

Plandri, Azadpatan

CHASMA

W.R.M.D.,

SUNNY VIEW LAHORE,

FLOOD FORECASTING DIVISION,

LAHORE

Tracks of Monsoon Low/Depression During

Flood Season 2009 & 2008 (15th June to 15th October)

FLOOD FORECASTING DIVISION,(FFD), LAHORE ( WIRELESS NETWORK)

RAVI

KOT NAINA, JASSAR, RAVI SYPHON, SHAHDARA, BALLOKI, SIDHNAI, BEIN NULLAH AT CHAK AMRU, BEIN NULLAH AT SHAKARGRAH, DEG NULLAH AT Q.S.SINGH, BASSANTAR NULLAH

SUTLEJ

G.S.WALA, BAKARKE, SULEMANKI, ISLAM, MELSI SYPHON

CHENAB

MARALA, KHANKI, QADIRABAD, CHINOT BRIDGE, TRIMU, RAWAZ BRIDGE, PUNJNAD, AIK NULLAH AT URA, PALKU NULLAH

JHELUM

NEW RASUL, KHUSHAB BRIDGE

INDUS

KALABAGH, TAUNSA, MITHANKOT, GHAZIGHAT, CHACHRAN SHRAIF

Tarbela Dam Flood Management Committee

Tarbela Dam Flood Management Committee has been formed for reservoir operation and flood routing to take immediate and on the spot decisions as per SOP. The composition is as under:

• G.M-Tarbela Dam Chairman

• Director-PMO Coordinator

• Chief Engineer (Civil) Tarbela Member

• Chief Engineer (Power Station) Tarbela Member

• R.E (External Works) Barrage Member

• S.E (Survey & Hydrology) Tarbela Member

• S.E (Design & Surveillance) Tarbela Member

• Security Officer Member

Mangla Dam Flood Management Committee

Mangla Dam Flood Management Committee has been formed for reservoir operation and flood routing to take immediate and on the spot decisions as per SOP. The composition is as under:

Ø Chief Engineer-Mangla Chairman

Ø S.E (Hydrology) Member

Ø R.E (Civil) Member

Ø S.E (Surveillance) Member

Ø R.E (Power) Member

Ø Dy. Director (Hydrology) Member

Ø Senior Officer (Security) Member

Coordination Committee At Federal Level

For coordinating the Flood Management and Forecasting Activities with specific reference to avoid flood peak synchronization during flood season following Coordination Committee exists at the federal level:

i) Chief Engineering Adviser/Chairman Convener

Federal Flood Commission

ii) Member (Water), WAPDA Member

iii) Director General - PMD Member

iv) Pak Commissioner for Indus Waters Member

v) Chairman IRSA Member

vi) Rep. of Director General Engineers, Army Member

Breaching Sections in Punjab

PURPOSE:

In case of Exceptionally High Floods, part of the discharges are escaped by providing breaching on pre-determined sites for safety of the Hydraulic Structure (Bridges & Barrages).

• Total No. of Breaching Sections in Punjab = 17 No.
• Operated by PID = 12 No.
• Operated by Railway Department = 4 No.
• Operated by Highways Department = 1 No.

Role of District Administration

Following Cycle of responsibilities is in place:

• Issuance of Flood/Weather warning by FFD to all including NDMA/FFC/Provincial Flood Warning Centres etc;
• Issuance of necessary alerts/orders/warning by NDMA to respective PDMAs;
• Issuance of necessary alerts/orders/warning by respective PDMA to respective DDMAs