Distinctive Characteristics of KBD Project (Ref: WAPDA Reports)

The project has two spillways on the Right Bank for the disposal of floodwater, having a total maximum discharge capacity of 2 million cusecs.

On the left bank is the powerhouse, which is connected to 12 tunnel conduits, each 36 ft in diameter, with ultimate power generation capacity of 3600 MW.

The KBD reservoir will extend 92 miles up the Indus from the dam site and 36 miles up the Soan River, and about 10 miles up the Kabul River from the Kabul-Indus confluence, at its normal retention level, at which the reservoir area would be 164 sq. miles in total.

The total cultivable affected land under the reservoir, according to WAPDA’s figures, will be 35000 acres, out of which 27500 acres falls under the reservoir and will be permanently acquired (24500 acres in Punjab and 3000 acres in NWFP); while the floods (of recurrence interval of 1 in 5 yrs) will temporarily submerge 7500 acres of land (6000 acres in Punjab and 1500 acres in NWFP). The land will be taken on easement, under which the title of the land will remain with the owners and it will be available for cultivation during normal season flows.

According to WAPDA, the operation schedule will allow the reservoir to be emptied upto the 890-ft above MSL once every year, and will allow one season cropping in about 14000 acres of land, lying above that level.
According to them, out of the whole-submerged land under the reservoir, the total irrigated land is 3000 acres (2900 acres in Punjab and 100 acres in NWFP).

As per the 1991 WAPDA estimates, the total population displaced by the KBD will be 83000 (48500 will be from Punjab and 34500 will be from NWFP).

To compensate the dam displaced people; WAPDA has a plan to offer a minimum of 12.5 acres land as land compensation per land-owning family, for which 74000 acres of irrigated land will be required.

To efficiently clear the deposited sediment from the reservoir, the dam is proposed to have an orifice spillway having its crest level 40-ft below the minimum elevation 835-ft level.

It is believed by WAPDA’s experts that the operational rules specifying the retention of reservoir at the minimum level of El.825-ft above MSL in the month of June and upto 20th July, will enable direct sluicing of the silt laden early floods, as well as averting the risks of flooding in the upstream areas of the reservoir.