• Commercial agriculture in river areas raises concerns about river hydrology
Hyderabad: A landowner in the Katcha region of Arshad Pirzada is waiting for the flood to recede in the pockets of his ancestors. His 50 acres of land is about three miles from the Larkana-Sehwan River Dyke downstream of Sukkur Barrage in the Larkana district.
Historically, floods have been a source of rejuvenation in river areas. Katcha residents grow crops – mainly wheat crops – exit the land on the basis of flooding based on residual moisture and no farm input. For them, flooding was always a blessing, but as the scale of cultivation within the river increased significantly, the trend changed, disrupting the hydrology of the river.
This year’s World River Day, celebrated on the fourth Sunday in September, coincides with the peak of moderate flooding Kotri barrage September 27. Floods usually arrive at their last barrage in mid-September. As early as September 30, 1992, 673,809 Cuseecs died downstream or on the Kotri barrage.
“The trend has certainly changed now,” Pirzada said.
According to climate change consultant Nase Memon, farming in river areas in many places has become a commercial enterprise. Even corporate-style agriculture is already common, and the use of combine harvesters (often blessed in irrigated or settled areas in Sindh) is now a common sight. The bigger players have jumped in. There they occupied the land in a contractual manner.
Share the details of seasonal planting, Pirzada explains: “After the rest of the river belt, the flood returns to the main river route, then Sarsoo (mustard), and finally wheat. The flood is coming in our area, but I have to harvest with the seasons in this season as the season goes by,” he said, saying, he is talking about August, and it is August rain.
The rivers from the lower Indus to the Kotree Barrage have quite a long dam that allows the rivers on both sides to flow.
Since the recent attack, professional engineer Sajjad Soomro has been closely monitoring satellite images of the Indus River flood. “The average width of the dam between Guddu and Sukkur barrage is about 16 kilometers, and about 14 kilometers between Sukkur and Kotri,” he explained. “The image confirms that flooding (except high land) between the entire CATA region (except high land) reaches flooding between the embankments at both ends.”
although Fear The forecast is “very high” to “super flooding” when entering the deluges of the eastern river from Punjab.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Agency (PDMA), about 3.78 million acres of cut land were affected in 21 areas. As of September 25, the displayed population was 196,111. Since no violations have occurred in the main rivers of the Indus River embankment, these figures presumably represent the figures living and farming in the CATA (river) area.
“Farmers greatly increase the ground level of the land and build embankments around it,” Pierzada noted. “These elevated farmlands help avoid expensive relocations from CATA to settled areas during flooding.” He added that flooding plays a crucial role in charging groundwater, an important resource for these communities. “People now use lifts powered by solar systems – transferring from traditional diesel pumps – to get this supplemental water for agriculture.”
Despite the disturbances caused by floods, they also hold hope – especially struggle In the Indian Delta, they are considered the source of economic rejuvenation. In recent decades, continuous ocean invasions in the Delta region have resulted in massive displacement and have triggered a long-standing demand for sustained freshwater flows or kotris to fight back the devouring of the Arabian Sea. In the areas of Badin and Thatta, the sea has swallowed millions of agricultural lands.
Abdullah Murgur, a 74-year-old resident of Keti Bundar, Thatta area, recalls the past. “Our land used to produce vegetables, rice and many valuable crops,” he said. “The sea used to be about 75 kilometers from my village – now only 25 kilometers away from the hotel.” Still, he saw hope in the current floods: “These waters will bring rich feed and make the groundwater sweet again – at least for a moment.”
However, experts warn or unsustainable practices. Nase Memon notes that fortified agriculture in river areas is frustrating the natural dynamics of the river. “We tamper with mercy on the ecology of this river,” he warned. “Historically, CATA agriculture is small-scale and survival-based wheat grown after the flood season. Now, a large amount of infrastructure is rooted, involving strong actors from the highest government and the country.”
Dr. Altaf Siyal (Tandojam), acting vice president of Sindh Agricultural University (SAU), studied water losses along the river system. “Since April, Around 9.4maf Conveyance Losses of Water Noted between Guddu and Kotri Barrages. A Major Part or 80pc of 9.4maf has gone into soil through Sepage to Recharge Groundwater Aquifer,” He says, Explaining that 2.4MAF was Lost Guddu and Sukkur, and Sukkur, and Sukkur. 7MAF between Sukkur and Kotri.
He believes that the Indian Delta will benefit the most from freshwater flows that have recently reached the Arabian Sea, which could help mitigate ocean invasions – as long as this flow continues.
Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan, former vice president of the Agricultural University of Faisalabad, agreed with Dr. Siyal. “Floodplain in Punjab and Sindh province – knowing how to produce vegetables, beans, oil seeds and feed – will see the groundwater levels rise,” he said. “Generally, groundwater levels drop two feet a year.” However, he stressed the need to promptly drain stagnant water from flooded fields in Punjab to sow the upcoming winter crops.
Posted in Dawn on September 29, 2025
