50-year record of Pong Dam mirrors uncertainty in water management

For almost five decades, the Pong Dam on the Beas river has reflected the volatile nature of the monsoons.

In some years, the reservoir swelled dangerously close to its capacity, triggering floods in the downstream plains. In other years, it struggled to fill, exposing the uncertainty of water security in the region.

The fluctuating levels of the dam not only capture the changing moods of the Beas river but also underline the growing challenges of managing floods, droughts and livelihoods in the river basin.

Since its commissioning in 1974, Pong was expected to be a steady lifeline—irrigating the fields of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, and generating electricity for the national grid. In its early decades, it lived up to that promise.

On March 23, 1975, the dam hit its lowest level of 1,163.8 ft, but by September, it had surged to 1,376.3 ft, showing how dramatically a rain-fed system could swing.

In September 1978, following a heavy monsoon, Pong touched 1,405 ft—the highest ever. Through the 1980s and 1990s, it frequently crossed 1,390 ft, with highs like 1,404.23 ft in 1988 and 1,397.49 ft in 1995.

That consistency has faded. From the early 2000s, peaks began slipping downward. In 2007, the maximum was only 1,365.28 ft; in 2009, 1,339.46 ft. Even average monsoons failed to fill the reservoir as in 2021 when it peaked at just 1,354.56 ft.

Between 2010 and 2022, Pong reached 1,390 ft only once—in 2010 at 1,394.49 feet. The exceptions—2017 at 1,383.6 ft and 2018 at 1,392.55 ft—could not disguise the overall decline.

More recently, the picture has seesawed: 1,385.2 ft in 2022, 1,398.68 ft in 2023 after a fierce monsoon, and 1,394.51 ft on September 4, 2025.

A deeper story

The figures reveal a deeper story — rainfall in the Beas catchment has become erratic, falling in short or violent bursts rather than steady spells. This causes flashfloods and sudden inflows without ensuring reliable storage. Adding to the crisis is deposition of silt in the reservoir. According to a study conducted by the functionaries/scientists of the Bhakra Beas Management Board, the Pong Dam has already lost more than a fifth of its original capacity as sediment (at the rate of 0.25 per cent per year) coming from the catchment areas clogs the reservoir.

As such, the stakes are high. Farmers across Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan depend on Pong for irrigation. When storage runs low, allocations are cut, forcing cultivators to fall back on groundwater—already dangerously depleted in Punjab, where over 75 per cent of the revenue blocks are “overexploited”.

Hydro-power generation suffers too. Pong’s six turbines need sufficient water head and flow. And, when levels drop, generation dips, especially during peak summer demand. Conversely, when the dam overfills, sudden emergency releases inundate the Beas valley, damaging fields and infrastructure downstream while also choking turbines with silt. It also reduces power generation. Sometimes, the power production has to be stopped for days.

The reservoir’s troubled trajectory points to urgent solutions. Catchment afforestation, soil conservation and systematic dredging are essential to restore capacity. Smarter reservoir management — guided by precise rainfall forecasts — can help balance flood control with irrigation and power needs.

Lessons for future

The half-century record of Pong mirrors the paradox of water management in northern India. Once overflowing with promise in the 1970s and 1980s, the dam now reflects the uncertainty of climate shifts, sediment pressures and growing demand of water and electricity. The lesson is unmistakable: the future will require not just bigger reservoirs, but stronger ecological management, efficient irrigation systems and adaptive planning. Without these, the region risks the worst of both extremes — parched fields in some years and destructive floods in others.