FATA region located in the arid & semi arid zone, which receives scarce precipitation. This leading to low surface run off & low water table. In this region, most of the house holds depend on Agriculture & Live stock, however only 7% of the total area is cultivable out of which 44% is irrigated & the remaining land is rain fed. For prosperity of the region it is necessary to develop the water sector by harnessing & arresting of flood flows through small storage reservoirs. With construction of small dams, irrigation water will be made available to small patches of land & the recharging of water table in the area will be improved.
In this region Irrigation of small patches of land along the natural streams was practiced by construction of temporary diversion bunds to the flows (Flood & Perennial where available), besides irrigation from natural springs. After the introduction of lifting devices, the irrigation was flourished, but due to unbalance with-drawls of sub-surface water, the water table depleted in the region and also due to high operational cost, and low electricity voltage approximately 50% of the tube-wells are reportedly dis-functional.
In the recent past, the following dams were completed under the supervision of FATA Secretariat. They were constructed to irrigate 2925 acre land:
- Milward Dam Bara Khyber Agency.
- Talai Dam Bajaur Agency.
- Kharo Shah Dam Bajaur Agency.
- Mersi Khal Dam NW Agency.
- Mir Kalam Dam NW Agency.
- Maidani Dam Kurram Agency.
- Kot Ragha Dam Kurram Agency.
In the recent past, FATA DA has completed the following dams which will irrigate about 2688 acres of land.
- Dargai Pal Small Dam SW Agency.
- Dandy Small Dam NW Agency.
FATA DA has awarded contract of three (03) more dams i.e. Kand Small Dam NW Agency, Parwara Small Dams FR D.I Khan and Zao Small Dam, Khyber Agency. Physical work on these dams has been started since July 2011.
