Tulbul Navigation Barrage Project

Tulbul Navigation Barrage Project Latest News

The Jammu & Kashmir government is mulling to take advantage of the suspended Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) by diverting, for the first time, water from the Ravi river in Punjab to the Jammu region, and pushing for the revival of the Tulbul Navigation Barrage project.

About Tulbul Navigation Barrage Project

• The Tulbul Navigation Barrage Project, also known as the Wullar Barrage, is a navigation lock-cum-control structure located at the outlet of Wullar Lake, in J&K.
• It was designed to facilitate navigation on the Jhelum River during lean winter months (Oct-Feb).
• The work on the project had started in 1984 but had to be stopped due to objections by Pakistan under IWT.
• It was originally designed as a 439-ft-long and 40-ft-wide structure with a storage capacity of 0.30 million acre-feet.
• The barrage, once completed, would have regulated the water of the Wular Lake to maintain a minimum draft of 4.4 ft in the river up to Baramulla during the winter season. 
• This minimum draft would have ensured round-the-year navigation over a 20-km stretch between Baramulla and Sopore.
• Besides, the project would have provided water and helped in firming up power generation in downstream hydroelectric plants such as the Uri I and II hydro projects.

‹ ›

Key Facts about Wular Lake

• It is the largest freshwater lake in India and the second largest freshwater lake in Asia.
• It is located in the Bandipore district of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It is fed by the Jhelum River.
• The lake lies at an altitude of 1,580 m on the foothills of Haramuk Mountain.
• It is spread over a total area of 200 sq.km., covering almost 24 km in length and 10 km in breadth.
• The lake basin was formed as a result of tectonic activity.
• In 1990, it was designated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.

Source: TH