India opens Salal Dam gate amid rainfall, sparks flood fears in Pakistan | Watch

Salal Dam on the Chenab river, in Reasi district, J&K

Amid continuous rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, Indian authorities have opened one of the floodgates of the Salal Dam on the Chenab River, raising concerns in Pakistan over potential downstream flooding.

Over the last weekend, India unexpectedly released water from the Baglihar and Salal dams in Jammu and Kashmir, sending a sudden surge down the Chenab River.

Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir: One gate of the Salal Dam on the Chenab River has been opened pic.twitter.com/xkXdm5SSv1

IANS (@ians_india) May 8, 2025

Although releasing water—known as ‘flushing the reservoir’—is a routine annual procedure essential for clearing silt and debris to ensure optimal functioning of the dams’ power plants, it is typically carried out in August during the monsoon season.

Designed as run-of-the-river projects, the Baglihar and Salal dams allow India to control the timing of water flow downstream. During their construction, Pakistan objected and sought the World Bank’s intervention. In response, India agreed to lower the dam height to 143 metres—1.5 metres less than initially planned—thereby reducing the water storage capacity by 13.5 percent.

The Indian Express, in its report, quoted sources indicating that while the Baglihar and Salal dams cannot block the Chenab's flow to Pakistan for extended periods, they do allow India to control the timing of water releases. Currently, as the rabi harvest is ongoing, water demand is relatively low. However, both Indian and Pakistani farmers will require significantly more water during the upcoming paddy cultivation season in a month or two.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Centre had announced the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, which has governed the use of the Indus river and its tributaries between India and Pakistan since 1960.