Rahim Yar Khan gets Pakistan’s first EC Flux Towers: What are they?

To address Pakistan’s water crisis, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has established the country’s first Eddy Covariance (EC) Flux Towers at Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering & Information Technology (KFUEIT) in Punjab’s Rahim Yar Khan district.

At the inauguration ceremony for the Flux Tower, part of the CGIAR Nexus Gains initiative, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Amir Azam Khan emphasized the critical role of technology in addressing Punjab’s water scarcity.

Dr. Mohsin Hafeez, IWMI’s Director of Water, Food, and Ecosystems, highlighted the significance of the project, stating, “The EC Flux Towers are more than just instruments; they are tools for informed decision-making, fostering sustainable agriculture and water security in Pakistan. The data they generate will play a vital role in developing policies to address water scarcity and climate adaptation.”

The EC Flux Towers are equipped with advanced sensors, including CO2/H2O analyzers and net radiometers, which continuously measure evapotranspiration, energy consumption, and crop carbon emissions within a 200-500 meter radius.

These Flux Towers provide real-time, high-resolution data to support policymakers, researchers, and farmers in optimizing water use, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Moreover, the data will validate remote sensing models, improving the accuracy of large-scale estimates for water and energy fluxes.

What is an Eddy Covariance Flux Tower?

An Eddy Covariance Flux Tower, or ‘Flux Tower,’ measures the continuous exchange of gases between the land surface (soil and vegetation) and the atmosphere.

These towers monitor greenhouse gas movement over large areas, ranging from hundreds of square meters to tens of square kilometers. By tracking greenhouse gas regulation by ecosystems, they provide insights into how various land management practices influence emissions and the environment.