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Picture Courtesy: Hindustan Times

Context:

The Chenab River nearly ran dry in Jammu and Kashmir's Akhnoor sector near the Line of Control on Monday after the sluice gates of two huge dams, Salal and Baglihar, were closed on Sunday morning.

Key Features of Chenab River

• A significant river in both Pakistan and India, the Chenab gets its name from the combination of the words "Moon" (Chan) and "River" (aab).
• It is a tributary of the Indus River.
• Tandi, in the upper Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul and Spiti Districts, is its origin, where the streams Bhaga and Chandra meet.
• It goes by the name Chandrabhaga in its upper sections as well.
• It winds its way westward across the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, sandwiched between the northern Lesser Himalayas and the southern Siwalik Range, a series of sheer cliffs.
• It continues into Pakistan, heading southwest, before plunging into the expansive alluvial lowlands of Punjab province, after having descended from the hills.
• The Chenab River joins the Jhelum River close to Trimmu and then flows into the Indus River tributary Sutlej.
• It supplies water to multiple irrigation canals along its approximately 605 miles (974 km) of length.
• Miyar Nalla, Thirot, Marusudar, Thirot, Thirot, and Lidrari are some of the rivers that flow into the Chenab River.
• Under the Indus Water Treaty, both Pakistan and India are entitled to use the Chenab River's waters. 

Indus Water Treaty 

The river in Akhnoor attained its normal level of 19-20 ft after the water was released from the dams. Following India's decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, this release was issued. The treaty was suspended in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which exacerbated the preexisting apprehensions in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) regarding the treaty's restriction on India's water resource utilisation.

Large Dams on Chenab

• Salal (rockfill dam)
• Aalal (concrete dam)
• Baglihar
• Dul

Baglihar Project

Salal Project