Importance of Flood Mitigation and Water Security for Pakistan

Abstract

The significance of Flood Mitigation and importance of water security for Pakistan highlights the need to reduce impact of flood by enhancing water storage capacity and improve; irrigation of land, household needs, hydropower production, ecosystem, flood administration. Indus River initiates from Tibet and passing through northern India along the Himalayas flows into Pakistan at a height of 9000 to 10000 feet4 (Nafees Ahmed, 2012). Indus River descends to 600 feet in a span of about 600 km5. Thereafter it flows southward through Pakistan’s gradually descending flood plains and falls into the Arabian Sea. The purpose of this study is to look at Pakistan’s vulnerability to floods, its consequence on economy, how to mitigate flood effects and utilise the added water resource to our advantage. This study was conducted in two stages. In first phase, information to answer the second and third research questions was given. While in second phase, the first objective was achieved The data results collected from employees of Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and Indus River System Authority (IRSA) were analyzed. It is an empirical and quantitative study in which primary and secondary data has been used. Secondary data was used till identification of variables and the analysis part consisted of the primary data too. The reliability of data was measured by Cronbach’s coefficient alpha. Items were developed and reliability was first tested in pilot study prior distribution of the questionnaire to respondents. As regards RQ3 that how floods could be mitigated in Pakistan it was found that after heavy rains hill torrents form flash floods and unite with rivers to augment floods. These can be controlled by developing large water reservoirs. For RQ2 regarding methods to use excessive flood water in Pakistan, it was learnt that large cumulative water reservoirs of about 50 MAF can help regulate flow in rivers/canals, which can mitigate floods and ensure water availability round the year. For RQ1 that major floods badly affect economy, it was found that in last 67 years, Pakistan has had 30 major floods till 2015, incurring a cumulative direct loss of $20 billion, killed 17,517 people and affected 480,000 villages. Research limitations were that public opinion based survey was not found in previous studies with reference to Pakistan containing all factors together.