Sukkur Barrage
| سکر براج | |
 |
|
| Waterway | Indus River |
|---|---|
| Country |
 Pakistan
|
| Province | Sindh |
| Maintained by | Sindh Irrigation & Power Department |
| Operation | Hydraulic |
| First built | 1932 |
| Latest built | Rehabilitated in November 2004 |
| Length | Approximately 1 mile |
| Fall | can accommodate water flow up-to 1.2 million Cusec (cubic feet per second) |
Sukkur Barrage (Urdu سكهر بئراج) is a barrage on the River Indus near the city of Sukkur in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The Barrage was built during the British Raj from 1923 to 1932 and was named Lloyd Barrage. The Sukkur Barrage, is the pride of Pakistan’s Irrigation system as it is the largest single Irrigation network of its kind in the world. It irrigates from Sukkur District in the North, to Mirpurkhas/ Tharparkar and Hyderabad districts in the South of Sindh, almost all parts of the Province except few. It is situated about 300 miles North East of Karachi, 3 miles below the Railway Bridge, or the Sukkur Gorge. The introduction of barrage-controlled irrigation system resulted in more timely water supplies for the existing cultivated areas of Sindh Province of Pakistan.
Sindh survives almost entirely on the water of the River Indus as there is very limited groundwater available. Rainfall in the province averages between 100 and 200 mm per year, while the evaporation rate is between 1,000 and 2,000 mm. Thus, Sindh is arid and it is only the Indus which irrigates otherwise barren lands of Sindh. Regular surveys have not been carried out to assess the availability of groundwater in the province. Various sources estimate that its volume is between three and five MAF scattered in 28 per cent of the geographical area of Sindh. However, some experts suggest it to be less than these estimates. This water is found mainly along the Indus water channels and in the few natural underground streams.
The idea of Sukkur Barrage was conceived by Mr. C.A .Fife, in the year 1868, however, the project was finally sanctioned in 1923. It was constructed under the overall direction of Sir Charlton Harrison, CIE as chief engineer. While Sir Arnold Musto, CIE was the architect and engineer of the scheme. The Head Works and Canals were completed by 1932. On its completion it was opened by the Viceroy of India, Lord Willingdon. The scheme had been launched by the Governor of Bombay, Sir George Ambrose Lloyd (later known as Lord Lloyd) and it was named in his honour.
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