Water Resources in Afghanistan

Surface water and groundwater availability has been a concern in Afghanistan ever since civilization evolved and a question that determines the livelihood of its people. In order to develop water as a resource for agricultural activity, industrial development and domestic use, while maintaining environmental flows, the hydrological regimes that determine its presence and quality must be understood.

The need for hydrological understanding has gained recognition by the Afghan responsible institutions as well as the international donors involved in Afghanistan. Especially since the effects of climate change such as floods and droughts are increasingly exacerbating vulnerability and poverty in Afghanistan. With this in mind, UNICEF has recognized the need to integrate and update the available knowledge on the Afghan water resources and improve the hydrogeological understanding in order to improve water security for all.

This synthesis report is the result of a baseline study undertaken by Acacia Water and funded by the DRRS Programme of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), on behalf of UNICEF. This baseline study is unique, as for the first time an integrated and up to date literature overview of available relevant studies, reports and maps on water resources in Afghanistan has been collected, reviewed and synthesized into a report. In the report, the key issues in terms of water scarcity, groundwater depletion and groundwater quality issues, and gives an indication of priority areas and priority topics for further research. Recommendations are given to improve access to safe water and address the impacts of water scarcity. As such, this baseline gives direction and rationale for a national water resources management and monitoring plan in Afghanistan. For these reasons, more in depth data collection and analysis on the interaction between surface- and groundwater resources across Afghanistan’s watersheds is required to establish a baseline for further decision-making purposes in terms of water management and to strengthening the monitoring of groundwater and surface water in Afghanistan. The report can be accessed through the following link Water resources in Afghanistan.pdf

This website has been built with financial assistance of the Government of the Netherlands and serves as a dissemination tool for collected studies and reports (available under Documents) as well as GIS based data (available under Map Viewer) on water resources in Afghanistan. All relevant hydrological and hydrogeological studies, reports and maps that have been considered for review for the synergy report have been made available on the online database repository. The collection of documents contains studies and reports that are allocated to their best-fitting theme and include the following topics: climate change, geology and hydrogeology, groundwater quality, groundwater resources, irrigation and agriculture, NBS and 3R, surface water and water governance and WASH. An overview is provided in the table below to help the user navigating through the different studies and study categories.

Overview of the existing studies on water resources in Afghanistan reviewed and used in this baseline study and categorized in the folders under 'Documents'

Study name	Year	Organization	Topic and folder	Focus area
Groundwater-level trends and implications for sustainable water use in the Kabul Basin, Afghanistan	2013	Afghanistan geological survey	Groundwater resources	Kabul Basin
When the Water Runs Dry	2020	Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit	Irrigation and agriculture	National
Hydrogeochemical characteristics and groundwater quality assessment for drinking and irrigation purposes in the Mazar-i-Sharif City, North Afghanistan	2018	Applied Water Science	Groundwater quality	Northern River Basin
Viability of karezes (ancient water supply systems in Afghanistan) in a changing world	2015	Applied Water Science	Irrigation and agriculture	National
Groundwater resources at risk in Kabul - Assessment of the present situation and the future consequences	2003	BGR	Groundwater quality	Kabul Basin
Hydrogeology of Kabul Basin, Part 3 - Modelling approach	2003	BGR	Geology and Hydrogeology	Kabul Basin
Hydrogeology of Kabul Basin, Part 3 - Modelling approach [French version]	2005	BGR	Geology and Hydrogeology	Kabul Basin
Hydrogeology of the Kabul Basin part II - groundwater geochemistry and microbiology	2003	BGR	Groundwater quality	Kabul Basin
Hydrogeology of Kabul Basin, Part 1	2003	BGR - Tunnermeier & Houben	Groundwater resources	Kabul Basin
Groundwater Quality Assessment in Chak Karstic Sedimentary Basin, Wardak Province, Afghanistan	2022	Central Asian Journal of Water Research	Groundwater quality	Wardak Province
River flow analysis for flood projection in the Kabul Basin	2020	Central Asian Journal of Water Research	Surface water	Kabul Basin
Groundwater analysis report in 11 Provnices of Afghanistan	2023	DACAAR	Groundwater resources	National
Groundwater resources at risk in Afghanistan	2007	DACAAR	Groundwater quality	National
Public drinking water points analysed water quality data evaluation in Afghanistan	2013	DACAAR	Groundwater quality	National
Water Resources Potential, Quality Problems, Challenges and Solutions in Afghanistan	2013	DACAAR	Groundwater resources	National
Arsenic contamination of groundwater in Ghazni and Maidan Wardak Provinces	2016	DACAAR	Groundwater quality	Wardak Province
Quality of Groundwater resources in Afghanistan	2017	Environmental monitoring and assessment	Groundwater quality	National
Afghanistan drought risk management strategy	2019	FAO	Climate change	National
Impact of Irrigation in Northern Afghanistan on Water Use in the Amu Darya Basin	2010	FAO	Irrigation and agriculture	Amu Darya Basin
Afghanistan's agro-ecological zoning atlas - part I	2019	FAO	Irrigation and agriculture	National
Afghanistan's agro-ecological zoning atlas - part II	2022	FAO	Irrigation and agriculture	National
Afghanistan Drought Risk Management Strategy	2019	FAO	Climate change	National
WATERSHED ATLAS OF AFGHANISTAN - part I	2004	FAO, AIMS, SDC	Surface water	National
WATERSHED ATLAS OF AFGHANISTAN - part II	2004	FAO, AIMS, SDC	Surface water	National
WATERSHED ATLAS OF AFGHANISTAN - part III Description of the River Basin	2004	FAO, AIMS, SDC	Surface water	National
WATERSHED ATLAS OF AFGHANISTAN - part IV Description of the41 watersheds	2004	FAO, AIMS, SDC	Surface water	National
Disaster Risk Profile Afghanistan	2017	Global Facility for Diaster Reduction & Recovery	Surface water	National
Water Severity Classification - Afghanistan Pilot	2020	Global WASH Cluster, UNICEF	Water Governance and WASH	Kunduz, Parwan and Hilmand province
Karez (qanat) irrigation in the Helmand River Basin, Afghanistan: a vanishing indigenous legacy	2017	Hydrogeological Journal	Irrigation and agriculture	Hilmond Basin
Site selection for managed aquifer recharge in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, using a multi-criteria decision analysis and geographic information system	2021	Hydrogeological Journal	NBS and 3R	Kabul Basin
The efects of urbanization on the groundwater system of the Kabul shallow aquifers, Afghanistan	2022	Hydrogeological Journal	Groundwater resources	Kabul Basin
Hydrogeology of Kabul Basin - part 2 groundwater geochemistry	2009	Hydrogeology Journal	Groundwater quality	Kabul Basin
Water resources of Afghanistan and related hazards under rapid climate warming: a review	2023	Hydrological Science Journal	Climate change	National
Assessment of the Impact of Climate Change on Snow Distribution and River Flows in a Snow-Dominated Mountainous Watershed in the Western Hindukush–Himalaya, Afghanistan	2022	Hydrology journal	Climate change	Panjshir River Basin
Review of the Geology of Afganistan and its water resources	2021	International Geology Review	Geology and Hydrogeology	National
Water Resources Management in Afghanistan: the issues and options	2002	International Water Management Institute	Groundwater resources	National
Forecasting of Flood, Drought and Climate Change Effect of Water Resources Division	2023	Afghanistan Ministry of Water and Energy	Climate change	National
Surface water resources of Afghanistan's northern river basin and effects of climate change	2020	Journal of JSCE	Surface water	Northern River Basin
Groundwater of Afghanistan - potential capacity, scarcity, security issues and solutions	2020	Kabul University	Groundwater resources	National
Artificial Recharge of Groundwater as a Management Tool for the Kabul Basin, Afghanistan	2018	Louisiana State University	NBS and 3R	Kabul Basin
Concept note on the water resource pillar	2022	Ministry of Energy and Water	Water Governance and WASH	National
A Hydrological Report of Faryab Province - Northern Afghanistan	2014	Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development	Geology and Hydrogeology	Northern River Basin
Climate change Science Perspectives	2016	NEPA	Climate change	National
Towards a policy for sustainable use of groundwater by non-governmental organisations in Afghanistan	2002	Norwegian Curch Aid	Water Governance and WASH	National
Mapping irrigated areas in Afghanistan over the past decade using MODIS NDVI	2014	Remote Sensing Environment	Irrigation and agriculture	National
Scoping Strategic Options for Development of the Kabul River Basin A Multisectoral Decision Support System Approach	2010	The World Bank	Surface water	Kabul Basin
Afghanistan an overview of groundwater resources and challenges	2003	Uhl, Baron, Rana Associates, Inc.	Groundwater resources	National
National Capacity Needs Self-Assessment for Global Environmental Management and National Adaptation Programme of Action for Climate Change	2009	UNEP	Water Governance and WASH	National
Climate Change in Afghanistan - What does it mean for rural livelihoods and food security?	2016	UNEP, WFP & NEPA	Climate change	National
Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2022-23, Summary Findings Report	2023	UNICEF	Water Governance and WASH	National
Climate Resillient WASH - Afghanistan	2021	UNICEF	Water Governance and WASH	National
Surface-groundwater interaction in the Kabul Basin Region	2020	University of Stutgart	Groundwater resources	Kabul Basin
Afghanistan Opium Industry - cultivation and production	2021	UNODC	Irrigation and agriculture	National
Kandahar City Water Supply Master Plan	2011	US Army Corps	Water Governance and WASH	Hilmond Basin
Afghanistan Water Resource Profile Overview	n.d.	USAID	Water Governance and WASH	National
Map and Database of Probable and Possible Quaternary Faults in Afghanistan	2007	USAID	Geology and Hydrogeology	National
The Afghanistan Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Master Plan	2006	USAID	Irrigation and agriculture	National
Geological and mineral resource map of Afghanistan	2006	USGS	Geology and Hydrogeology	National
Estimated Monthly Streamflows for Selected Locations on the Kabul and Logar Rivers, Aynak Copper, Cobalt, and Chromium Area of Interest, Afghanistan, 1951–201	2014	USGS	Surface water	Kabul Basin
Geology, Water, and Wind in the Lower Helmand Basin, Southern Afghanistan	2006	USGS	Geology and Hydrogeology	Hilmond Basin
Hydrogeology of Afghanistan and its impact on military operations	2014	USGS	Geology and Hydrogeology	National
Streamflow Characteristics of Streams in Southeastern Afghanistan	2010	USGS	Surface water	South-east
Streamflow Characteristics of Streams in the Helmand Basin, Afghanistan	2008	USGS	Surface water	Hilmond Basin
Streamflow Characteristics of Streams in the Helmand Basin, Afghanistan	2010	USGS	Surface water	Hilmond Basin
Sustainability of water supply at military installations, Kabul Basin, Afghanistan	2014	USGS	Water Governance and WASH	Kabul Basin
USGS Afghanistan Topographic Maps	2007	USGS	Geology and Hydrogeology	National
Water-Balance Simulations of Runoff and Reservoir Storage for the Upper Helmand Watershed and Kajakai Reservoir, Central Afghanistan	2007	USGS	Surface water	Hilmond Basin
Inventory of Ground-Water Resources in the Kabul Basin, Afghanistan	2005	Washington Crossing, PA, USA	Groundwater resources	Kabul Basin
Water Recharges Suitability in Kabul Aquifer System within the Upper Indus Basin	2022	Water	NBS and 3R	Kabul Basin
Water distribution systems and onfarm irrigation practices: limitations and consequences for Afghanistan’s agricultural productivity	2014	Water international	Irrigation and agriculture	National
Water Resource Development in Northern Afghanistan and Its Implications for Amu Darya Basin	2004	World Bank Publications	Surface water	Amu Darya Basin
Macro-Catchment Construction Western Afghanistan Factsheet - Alleviating the threat of both flash flooding and water shortages in Western Afghanistan	2019	Worldvision	NBS and 3R	Badghis catchment

DRRS Programme is implemented by RVO, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands.

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Water Resources in Afghanistan

Study name

Year

Organization

Topic and folder

Focus area