Afghanistan water constraints : overview analysis

This report examines the technical, economic, cultural, and institutional facets of the country"s water supply and suggests steps to mitigate existing and anticipated water supply problems. Chapter 2 presents information on Afghanistan"s water resources, covering the country"s climate, precipitation, glaciers/snow packs, and watersheds; the principal patterns of water flow and distribution; and comprehensive estimates, believed to be the first of their kind, of total resources and uses of water. Chapter 3 examines water resource development in the country from 1945 to 1979, including projects involving irrigation and hydroelectric power and strategies for improving the drinking water supply. Chapter 4 analyzes the effect of water constraints on Afghanistan"s agricultural and cultural life, including the relationship between water control, agricultural production, and the resettlement of Afghan refugees. It also contains a detailed quantitative analysis of the supply and agricultural demand for water and identifies regions most likely to suffer water supply constraints. Chapter 5 presents, and applies to specific regions in the country, recommendations for donor-financed water development projects in the following order of priority: (1) projects that can be undertaken now with minimal planning and investment; (2) resumption of projects interrupted by the conflict; (3) implementation of projects planned but not begun at the outbreak of hostilities; and (4) entirely new projects.