Vast areas of riverine tract used to be inundated that created riverine forests over large areas. However, settlements, agricultural fields and other properties used to be damaged by floods. Therefore, embankments ( bunds ) were constructed to confine the flood waters. This, however, reduced the potential area of riverine forests and kept out certain existing riverine forests from flooding. Although sluices have been made to allow flood water to reach some of the riverine forests outside the embankments but it is not quite the same as the free flowing flood water.

Reduced River-flooding or Abkalani 

Construction of river embankments restricted flooding and confined riverine forests to a strip of floodplain 5-15 km wide.

The annual inundation water, which was the only source of water for these forests dramatically decreased due to construction of big dams (Tarbela and Mangla), barrages, head-works, link canals and abstraction of water by India from Ravi and Sutlej rivers as a result of Indus Basin Treaty. The consequence was that vast areas of the riverine forests    ceased to receive flood water, resulting in steady deterioration of forests and their low productivity. Only about 20%of the riverine forests receive floodwater they require to attain full growth. It is difficult for many belas to survive and regenerate themselves. Lack of soil moisture and falling water tables in the high-lying areas has stunted the growth of the effected areas.

Impacts  of Dams and Barrages on Riverine Forests and Indus Delta :

Indus river once brought down 600 million tonnes of silt out of which half reached the sea and half fertilised the alluvial plain. Today, just 36 million tonnes passes the upstream dams, barrages and head works . The Indus delta was spread over on 350 sq. Km and had more than 9 perennial streams before Independence compared with only two perennial streams and 25 sq. Km coverage now. This change has resulted in erosion and degradation of the delta. 0.6 million acres of riverine forests have also beer degraded . Mangrove forests have been reduced from 263,000ha in 1977 to 158,500ha in 1990. 

Taken from the web-site on the riverine  forests. The article is entitled "Kalabagh Dam : Political, Environmental & Humanitarian Disaster, Pakistan".

Mohag

In Sindh, Mohag is the right of frontage to own the newly created lands. A lot of areas of riverine forests have been taken over by the adjoining farmers.

Encroachments

Forest lands have been encroached by zamindars and adjoining farmers for cultivation, hunting, timber, firewood, and grazing. Another way of encroaching is thorough leases for agro-forestry.

Forest Lands Transferred to Other Departments

31,971ha of inland and irrigated forest areas in Sindh were deforested and were given to other government departments for various purposes.

Illegal Fellings

Law enforcement has been weak. Therefore, illegal fellings and even clear fellings and encroachment of forest areas by the adjoining farmers and influential have been taking place in certain forests.

Illegal Lopping, and Excessive Grazing and Browsing

In some of the riverine ' Protected Forests" local people have the right to obtain forest produce. Consequently, these forests  remain open to grazing, and cutting of timber and fuel-wood for their bonafide needs. Due to weak law enforcement and poor socio-economic conditions it is difficult to regulate grazing and cutting of trees that have increased rapidly and is responsible for deterioration of these forests. Grazing in regeneration areas in riverine forests is very detrimental and animals also damages water channels in plantation areas.

Inadequate Management (Regeneration, Weeding, Cleaning and Thinning Operations)

Management planning and implementation has been lacking. As a result, the forests are not being managed sustainably, their productivity is low and the quality of produce is also less than desirable. All silvicultural operations including regeneration, weeding, cleaning and thinning are important but are not undertaken due to inadequate financial and human resources and other factors.

The Irrigation system in the plantations in the riverine forests is deficient due to less than required delivery of water, poor maintenance heavy capital and running cost of machinery, lack of funds technical know-how, and frequent power breakdowns. The plantations in riverine forests which get canal or tube-well water encounter water losses due to inefficient and poorly maintained channels. Seepage and leakage are common.

Inaccessibility

The field staff is constrained in mobility due to lack of transport facilities. In the riverine forests roads and paths are not maintained properly. The forest management, operations, supervision and monitoring in riverine forests, therefore, suffers. 

Inappropriate Erosion Strip Felling

Laying out of erosion strips is a very technical job and requires lot of experience. There have been instances where erosion strips were laid out inappropriately. As a result, the felled areas did not erode and remained barren due to being high-lying.

Excessive Wildlife Hunting and Poaching and Degradation of Wildlife Habitats

There is not a clear responsibility regarding conservation and sustainable management of wildlife in riverine forests. The wildlife suffers from dual control by forest guards and game watchers.  There are no incentives for the staff to conserve it.  They can rather benefit from allowing illegal hunting and poaching. Apart from destruction and degradation of wildlife and habitat there has been excessive hunting of game animals and birds. As a result, many species have become rare.

Lack of Eco-System Based and Integrated Resource Management

There has been focus on trees of economic importance. The riverine forests have never been seen and managed as an eco-system. The related uses such as livestock grazing, agro-forestry, NTFP and tourism have not been integrated in forest management. Obviously, full benefits are not being realised.

Inadequate Investment

The investment per unit area is very low that is responsible for mismanagement and degradation of these forests.

Lack of Management Planning and Implementation

Not all riverine forests have benefited from management planning on a continuous basis. Working plans for some of these forests had been developed to manage these forests on sound scientific basis but these have not been implemented.

Low Management Capacity

Expertise in technical and social aspects of management of riverine forests are lacking in staff. The facilities are also inadequate. As a result, these forests are not being managed properly.

Protectionist Approach

The policing approach of management has not succeeded in achieving the objectives of sustainable forest management. One of the options being exercised in other countries as well as in certain parts of Pakistan is to involve local communities and other stakeholders in the management of forests through Collaborative Forest Management (CFM).

Influential Persons

Traditionally, Waderas , Sardars and Jagidars  have been using their influence to get benefits from these forests that included timber and fuel wood for their own use and even for commercial sales, livestock grazing, hunting and poaching of wildlife. Their interest in the health of the forest disappeared with the change in the ownership of these forests.

Lack of Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring system is important for the effective and efficient management but this is lacking.