Namal Canal from Namal Lake

 Namal Lake and Canal

 Introduction

Namal lake famous for its beauty is an artificial lake in Mianwali District of Punjab. This lake is formed on Namal Dam Mianwali. From Namal lake at  downstream of the gravity dam a canal is taken out for supplying  irrigation water to the Musakhel and Mianwali. This canal presents a very beautiful scene when passing through Salt Range Nammal Gorge and flowing toward Mianwali. 

Namal Dam View

Namal Canal Through Namal Gorge

Near the Western end of the Salt Range (Dhak) a narrows gorge, two miles long, with a fall of about a hundred  & fifty feet and running in a direction generally southward,  has been cut by the Wahi, the name given to the Stream formed  by the junction, near the village of Namal, of two hill streams,  the Lawa (or Tarapi) and the Golar, which have their source on  the crest and northern slopes of the range, in the neighborhood  of Sakesar, a small hill station. 

Namal lake hill side

Selection of Dam site at Namal 

 The site ultimately selected for the dam was in many  ways so obviously suitable for the purpose that it long ago  attracted attention. To the north, for a distance of about three  quarters of a mile, lay the narrow valley of the Wahi, but beyond  this, near Namal, was an open plain forming an admirable site  for a reservoir basin. On the other hand, the site had some disadvantages, in that the rock was much fissured, and that  numerous sulphur springs issued from the bed of the gorge.  These drawbacks long deterred engineers from undertaking  the work of building a dam, but early in 1910, Sir Louis  Dane, then Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab, decided that  in view of the great benefit which would be derived from  the work the risks pointed out by engineers might be incurred. 

A view of Namal Canal

Survey Results

In January 1910 Bellasis, then lately retired from  the Punjab irrigation Branch, had been put on special duty to investigate the site, and to make proposals for a dam  to store water in connection with a small canal. Mr. Bellasis had preliminary surveys made, and suggested three sites as  suitable one at the head and two others surveys. With these surveys, and a recently made Survey  Department map of the country, from which the catchment area  could be reliably ascertained, there was not much left to be  done in the way of preliminary out-door work. 

Challenges

The catchment  area was found to be 164 square miles, of which 125 miles  lay on the northern slopes of the Salt Range, and the remainder  in the plain near Namal  and When orders were received  to get out a detailed project for the and canal, a  further inspection of the site showed that there was nothing  to be gained by locating the darn at a distance down the  gorge, as it was obvious that, owing to the Steep fall in  the bed, a dam built any distance down must be so much  higher than one built at the head in order to impound the  same quantity of water, and While it Was true that there were  smaller and fewer springs at the other sites selected by Mr. Bellasis,  the nature of these did not appear to be so good down the  gorge as at its head. It was also considered that there would be  no great difficulty in dealing with the sulphur springs in the deep  bed, by collecting them into one place, and allowing them to freely  issue through a small pipe in the lower part of the dam.  

Sulphur water spring

Finalization of Dam location and Namal Lake

The location of the dam having been settled, it was necessary, for the purpose of framing a reliable estimate of cost to  ascertain the depth to which the bed of the gorge had been  scoured. The site selected being very narrow, with a sandy bed,  it was clear that the true bed, on which the dam foundations  would have to bc built, must be some depth down, and in order  to clear out the sand and get at the rock beneath, it was necessary to arrange to pass off the small now in the stream, which  was never less than nine or ten cusecs. This was done by building a small wall where there was a suitable between rock  slopes, a short distance above the proposed dam site. and carrying off the water through pipes b:fore it rose sufficiently high  to flow over the wall. It was obvious that this arrangement would only be  sufficient to deal With the small Constant supply in the Wahi, but it was hoped that there would be time to clear out the sand  before rain brought down a flood. 

 Importance of Namal Canal

Namal Canal was among the early canal of the District and it was used to irrigate the Musakhel and Mianwali Area. Along with the Canal there were planted trees of Talhi and Canal was reinforced later on with the bricks and Jhaaal were also made to further maintain the flow in canal. This was the Namal Canal from Nammal Lake Due to which Musakhel area was green and its Lands were regularly cultivated to grow crops. Water-melon of Musakhel were therefore famous because of fertile land irrigated by Nammal Canal.

Namal Canal 

Condition of Namal Canal 

Currently condition of the Namal canal is very poor. Its structure is damaged at many places and many plants and garbage is present in the canal. Due to poor condition irrigation of land is not properly done and people of the are are facing problem. Trees of Taali are no more there. Govt should pay attention to restore the canal and its structure. 

Condition of Namal canal

Conclusion

Nammal canal an old asset and important for irrigation of Musakhel and Mianwali must be preserved.