Kotri Barrage

Kotri Barrage, also known as Ghulam Muhammad Barrage. It is located on the Indus River between Jamshoro and Hyderabad District, Sindh, Pakistan.

Background  Key Features

Its construction began earlier, although it was officially inaugurated in 1955 by Ghulam Muhammad. Stretching about 1.6 kilometers (1,600 meters or 5,250 feet), the barrage comprises 44 bays, each approximately 18 meters (60 feet) wide. It was designed with a discharge capacity of around 875,000 cusecs, with a maximum flood level of about 43.1 feet. Serving multiple purposes, the barrage plays a vital role in irrigation, flood control, and river flow regulation, while also supporting agriculture and ensuring water supply to surrounding areas.

Wildlife & Ecology

Though not formally a big wildlife reserve like some barrages in Punjab, Kotri is part of the lower Indus region whose ecology is shaped by river flow. Fish fauna and river-dependent communities are part of the landscape. The barrage is also the last major control structure on the Indus before the river reaches its delta region and finally discharges into the Arabian Sea. What flows out of Kotri influences the health of the Indus Delta.

Challenges & Conservation

Water flow variability sometimes results in lower flows downstream, which can affect the ecology and the delta region. Ghulam Muhammad Barrage has seen some historical flood events where flows surpassed design capacity. During floods, surrounding low-lying areas suffer inundation; embankments and local infrastructure can be stressed.