The disastrous redesign of Pakistan’s rivers
Parks & Public Space Safety & Security Water Security VideoSummary
Vox explores how Pakistan’s rivers, particularly the Indus River, have been engineered beyond their natural limits, leading to significant environmental challenges. Before British colonization, agro-pastoralists living near the Indus River relied on traditional irrigation systems that worked in harmony with the river’s natural flow to cultivate crops and raise livestock. However, during the British colonization in the 1800s, the colonizers dramatically expanded the network of canals, creating a year-round irrigation system. Central to this system were barrages, large dam-like structures that controlled the water flow.
After Pakistan gained independence, the government continued to develop this irrigation network, adding more barrages and canals, making it the largest continuous canal system in the world. However, this extensive infrastructure has led to serious issues, particularly during floods. The barrages and canals obstruct the natural drainage of floodwaters back into the Indus River, exacerbating flooding problems. Additionally, by diverting large amounts of water for agriculture, these structures reduce the flow of freshwater reaching the Indus Delta, allowing seawater to intrude into the riverbed. This intrusion harms water resources and degrades agricultural land, posing significant challenges to the region’s sustainability.