Water Resources Research Centre (WRRC), Peshawar
Introduction
Regional Office PCRWR, Peshawar conducts site-specific research on water related problems of irrigated agriculture including irrigation scheduling, and rain fed agriculture of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa efficient irrigation practices, groundwater monitoring and management, water saving techniques other water related issues, ground and surface waters. Quality .The Regional Office was established with specific objectives as follows
Objectives
- To determine the water requirements of major crops in the irrigated areas.
- To carry out applied research on efficient use of land and water resources.
- To design and develop various soil moisture instruments for efficient use of water.
- To provide consultancy services to public/farming communities to develop and utilize ground water.
- To undertake monitoring of water quality in cities, rivers, and aquifers.
- To maintain liaison and working relationship with various departments, universities, etc. in water sector.
- To document and disseminate research results to farming community/end users.
| Official | Contact | Area of expertise | |
 |
Naeem Khan Khattak
Regional Director |
neaeemkhan_13@yahoo.com | Soil sciences, Water management, Waste water management, saline agriculture, saline fish farming |
 |
Dr. M. Muneeb ur Rehman (R.O) | muneebpcrwr@gmail.com | |
 |
Shakeel Ahmad(ASO) | shakeelawkum2@gmail.com |
Research & Demonstration Center Merakachuri
PCRWR established a Research & Demonstration (R&D) Centre in 2008 under strengthening Project of WRRC Peshawar comprising land of 12.5 acres to research trials on soil water relationship study water balance and water conservation strategies for Irrigated Agriculture. The Center is located about 5 km away from Ring Road Jamil Chowk toward East North on Phandu Rd.and also about 5 km from tarnab farm Peshawar toward west south.
Lysimeter Studies
Lysimeter system description: The world Lysimeter is derived from “lysi” (means water) and meter means measurements. It is a laboratory for measurement of inflow and outflow from soil litho logy for accurate estimating crop evapotranspiration and consisting of soil column in a duly designed concrete chamber within the existing soil profile. Lysimeter is an experimental set-up comprising of soil-filled tank in which research can be conducted very precisely under well controlled conditions on almost all aspects of optimal utilization of surface and ground water resources. It is a basic tool to determine crop water requirement, crop coefficient, groundwater contribution, deep percolation, evapo-transpiration, solute transport and other related aspects of water management and sustainability of agricultural lands.The Lysimeter has two mode of use. In the first mode irrigation water is supplied to the soil surface and in the second mode water is supplied from the bottom part at the desirable depth. Mariette principle is being followed to maintain a constant supplied head at desirable depth. Lysimeter is simply a tank filled with soil in which crops are grown under natural condition to measure the amount of water lost by evaporation and transpiration, and monitoring the change in water storage in Lysimeter along with other components in water balance (e.g. Precipitation, irrigation and drainage).The actual evapotranspiration rate can be obtained over the measurement interval .Resultant measurement can provide daily evapotranspiration. Development of Lysimeter In Peshawar valley was not only the need of PCRWR for determination of crop water requirement ,leaching experiment, hydraulic movement of water in the soil and crop ,soil and water relationship development study. Beside this it will be also helpful for water management researcher, agriculture engineer, ground water researchers, hydrology and soil science students working in research were the demand of researchers .keeping in view the need and demand 12 Lysimeter of concrete each Lysimeter having size (10’x10’x10’) feet at Mera Kachuri research and demonstration site WRRC Peshawar representing Peshawar valley has been developed which is the pioneer work in KPK specifically at Mira Kachuri.
Water Quality Monitoring & Mitigation
Pakistan is facing problem of declining water availability and quality. Access to safe drinking water is critical health issue and challenge for the state. Drinking water sources, both surface and groundwater are contaminated with coliforms, toxic metals and pesticides throughout the country.
The Water quality laboratories at Regional Office, PCRWR Peshawar,D.I.Khan and Abbotabad are well equipped for the analysis of drinking, irrigation and waste water. In a short span of time, it has upgraded its infrastructure and improving the quality of services rendered to general public/clients with its skilled and dedicated manpower.
Sub-regional Water Quality Laboratories
The water quality laboratories of Abbottabad, Muzaffarabad, D.I. Khan and Gilgit are also equipped with state of the art facilities and are providing service to the public and private sectors, under the administrative control of WRRC Peshawar.