India flushing Baglihar, Salal reservoirs likely to affect water flow to Pak

Following the suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan post the deadly terror attacks in Pahalgam which claimed 26 Indian lives on 22 April, India has stanched the flow of water through the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab river and is planning similar measures at the Kishanganga Dam on the Jhelum river, a source has said.

The source familiar with the matter also said these hydroelectric dams — Baglihar in Ramban in Jammu and Kishanganga in north Kashmir — offer India the ability to regulate the timing of water release.

India's decision to suspend the decades-old treaty followed allegations of cross-border links to the Pahalgam terror attack, suspected to be carried out by The Resistance Front, an affiliate of the Pakistan-backed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The IWT, brokered by the World Bank, has governed the use of the Indus River and its tributaries between India and Pakistan since 1960. Baglihar Dam has been a longstanding point of contention between the two neighbours, with Pakistan having sought World Bank arbitration in the past. Following the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan said any attempt to divert waters would be considered an 'act of war'.

Kishanganga Dam has faced legal and diplomatic scrutiny, too, especially regarding its impact on the Neelum river, a tributary of the Jhelum.

Under the terms of the IWT, Pakistan receives unrestricted access to the waters of the western rivers in the Indus Basin — Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum — which together carry about 80 per cent of the Indus river system’s total flow. India, meanwhile, has control over the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — but is permitted limited non-consumptive use of the western rivers for domestic needs, irrigation, and run-of-the-river hydropower generation, within specific technical guidelines.

As per a report in ThePrint.in, India has begun flushing the reservoirs of the Baglihar and Salal hydroelectric projects on the Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir. Flushing involves releasing a strong surge of water from reservoirs to clear out built-up silt and sediment. As per senior Indian government officials who spoke to ThePrint, this process was initiated over the weekend at the 900 MW Baglihar plant and the 690 MW Salal plant in Reasi.

“The reservoirs will be refilled after flushing is complete,” am unnamed official told ThePrint, saying the entire process could last from one to two weeks. During this time, water flow to Pakistan will be reduced, potentially affecting the early stages of kharif crop sowing in India's neighbouring nation.

Another official noted that the Marala barrage in Pakistan’s Punjab province, downstream near Sialkot, will likely receive insufficient water during the flushing operation. This could hamper irrigation for water-intensive crops like paddy, maize, and cotton.

Despite being classified as run-of-the-river plants — with minimal storage capacity and no capability to block water flow in the long term — Baglihar and Salal play a key role in managing seasonal sedimentation. Normally, the IWT permits flushing only during August, at the height of the monsoon. However, with the treaty suspended, India is no longer bound by those restrictions and can proceed at its discretion, the Print report points out.

Reservoirs that aren’t periodically flushed accumulate silt, which can reduce their operational efficiency over time. The current flushing, officials indicated, is one of several punitive steps India has taken in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

Unlike traditional dams, run-of-the-river projects generate electricity without substantial water storage, relying instead on natural river flow, with minor allowances for pondage.

While the flushing temporarily disrupts power output at both dams, the impact is expected to be limited. “Because water flow is low right now, the corresponding drop in power generation will also be minor,” the official explained.

As of 1 May, Baglihar was generating 150 MW and Salal 115 MW of electricity, according to a report from the Central Electricity Authority.

Indian officials acknowledge the need to expand infrastructure to fully leverage its share of the western rivers. “Our current storage capacity on these rivers is insufficient,” one said.

The full hydropower potential from India’s allowed share on the western rivers is estimated at 18,569 MW. However, only about 3,500 MW has been developed so far. Similarly, while India can use these waters to irrigate 1.34 million acres, it currently services just 800,000 acres, according to the Print report.

To address this, the government is considering new initiatives. One proposal involves constructing a 10–12 km tunnel to divert water from the Chenab to the Ravi. This plan was discussed at two high-level meetings on 25 April — one at the prime minister’s office and another led by Union home minister Amit Shah — focused on optimising India's use of its entitlements under the IWT.

Accelerating ongoing hydropower projects on the Chenab was another key topic. Four plants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district are currently under development: the 850 MW Ratle, 1,000 MW Pakal Dul, 624 MW Kiru, and 540 MW Kwar.

The power ministry has also been directed to expedite proposals for four more projects on the western rivers: 1,856 MW Sawalkot, 930 MW Kirthai-II, 260 MW Dulhasti Stage-II, and 240 MW Uri-I Stage-II, all located in Jammu and Kashmir.

With agency inputs