ADB launches a digital water monitoring system in Balochistan to tackle severe water shortages and enable early flood and drought forecasting.
In a major step toward climate-smart water governance, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a digital water and weather monitoring system in Balochistan, enabling the province to forecast floods and droughts in advance as it battles chronic water scarcity.
Balochistan—Pakistan’s largest and driest province—continues to face severe groundwater depletion, erratic rainfall and rising climate pressures. With 75% of its population dependent on agriculture, experts warn that worsening water shortages threaten both livelihoods and long-term socioeconomic stability. ADB has already identified that only 7% of the province’s land is currently under cultivation due to water scarcity.
Digital system to manage scarce water resources
As part of a new initiative, ADB has installed Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) across Balochistan to provide real-time data on rainfall, temperature, humidity and wind speed. The system helps farmers plan irrigation more precisely, reducing water loss and improving crop productivity.
Officials say the digital platform also strengthens the province’s ability to predict floods and droughts, enabling timely early warnings and fairer water distribution across districts.
Local capacity building
To ensure long-term sustainability, ADB has trained local communities to operate and maintain the systems. Improved coordination between provincial departments has also enhanced Balochistan’s efficiency in planning and water-use management.
Climate-smart water governance project launched
The provincial government—supported by financing from ADB, the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, and the High-Level Technology Fund—has launched the Balochistan Water Resources Development Project, which integrates modern infrastructure with digital tools to support data-driven water governance.
Groundwater depletion ‘most urgent threat’
Dr. Muhammad Arshad, Deputy Country Representative of IWMI in Quetta, said groundwater depletion remains the most critical challenge. Except for Nasirabad and Jafarabad, most districts rely entirely on groundwater.
He warned that the rapid expansion of subsidised solar-powered tube wells has intensified over-extraction:
“People now pump water for 12 hours a day. Previously, load shedding limited extraction to three or four hours. With no regulation and no implementation, the problem is worsening,” he said.
Dr Arshad added that 10 of Balochistan’s 18 river basins are experiencing severe decline, mainly due to water-intensive practices such as flood irrigation. He recommended farm-level soil moisture sensors, precise water-flow measurements and a strong digital regulatory system to track depletion and anticipate future needs.
Water depletion at 1,200 sq ft
With water tables dropping at alarming rates—averaging 1,200 square feet of depletion in many areas—only 7.2% of the province’s land is currently cultivated. Decades of over-pumping, deterioration of traditional karez systems and limited surface storage have worsened the crisis. Climate variability, prolonged droughts, flash floods and unpredictable rainfall continue to strain the fragile water landscape.
Under the ADB-supported project, the Automatic Weather Stations are now integrated with the Balochistan Water Resources Information System (BWRIS), providing real-time data that helps farmers decide planting schedules and assists the government in resource allocation.
