Marala Headworks

Marala Headworks is situated on the Chenab River, at the border between Sialkot and Gujarat districts in Punjab, Pakistan. This is Pakistan’s first dam on the Chenab. In 1912, during British rule, a dam was built here to supply water to the Upper Chenab Canal. Then a new barrage was built in 1968 for irrigation and flood protection.

The two most important canals of Pakistan, the Marala Ravi Link Canal and the Upper Chenab Canal, originate from here.

Background and Key Features

The Marala Headworks is located on the Chenab River near the town of Marala in Sialkot District, Punjab, Pakistan. The original structure, a weir, was built between 1906 and 1912 during British India as part of the famous Triple Canals Project, which laid the foundation for modern irrigation in the Punjab.

To enhance its capacity and extend water supply, a newer barrage was constructed in 1968, which today feeds both the historic Upper Chenab Canal and the Marala-Ravi Link Canal. Situated at an elevation of about 820 feet above sea level, the headworks has a maximum discharge capacity of approximately 1.1 million cusecs. As one of Punjab’s key irrigation and flood-control structures, the Marala Headworks not only sustains vast agricultural lands but also contributes significantly to the region’s water management and rural livelihoods.

There is a small hydro-power component: in 2017, the Head Marala Hydropower Project became functional. It has a capacity of ~7.64 megawatts using four turbines (~1.9 MW each).