Posted on February 24, 2026
Desilting operations have commenced in the Chenab River for the first time following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, marking renewed efforts to enhance hydropower efficiency in Jammu and Kashmir’s Himalayan rivers covered under the treaty.
A tender has been issued to desilt and reopen six under-sluice gates at the Salal Power Station in Reasi, which were permanently sealed under the provisions of the treaty. The suspension has had a significant impact on operational efficiency at the Salal Power Station, located on the Chenab River.
Anish Gauraha, Executive Director of the Salal Power Station, told ANI, “After the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty we are working on an effective sediment management plan to improve the operational efficiency of the power station.”
He added, “It is difficult to say how much this will increase power generation, but it will certainly reduce wear and tear. Dredging is one of the key activities under the silt management plan. Through this, we aim to remove as much silt as possible to minimise damage. Plans are also being developed to reduce sediment through flushing.”
Mr Gauraha further said, “Earlier, when the Indus Waters Treaty was in effect, we were not able to carry out all these measures. For example, we were not allowed to undertake draw-down flushing for desilting and dredging.”
The Salal Concrete Dam was originally designed with six under-sluice gates for sediment management. However, under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty and a 1978 agreement, these gates were permanently plugged and the operation of the Silt Excluder Gates was prohibited. Since then, sediment has accumulated in the reservoir, which lacks sediment management facilities.
Efforts are now underway to remove the accumulated silt and make the under-sluice gates functional. Mr Gauraha confirmed, “We have floated a tender to make the under-sluice gates operational, and work on that is underway.”
The reservoir’s original capacity was 284 million cubic metres (MCM), but by May 2025, a bathymetric survey indicated it had decreased to 9.91 MCM. Following the treaty suspension and commencement of desilting, the capacity had improved to 14 MCM by January 2026.
Officials confirmed that a no-objection certificate (NOC) has been issued for the desilting of the Salal dam reservoir and that work has started. To date, 170,000 metric tonnes of sediment have been dredged, with 68,490 metric tonnes disposed of.
