Site Visit Report: Badakhshan Landslide Technical Assistance

The landslide affected approximately 383 families out of a total of 1,210 families living in the village. The Tetra Tech reconnaissance team conducted a site investigation to gather data from the site for further assessment by others. The site investigation included field measurements, geotechnical testing, and technical measurements of the affected mudslide area, water impoundment, and dug channel. The team conducted interviews with local officials, including the Deputy Governor of Badakhshan, the Director of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, and the Director of the Ministry of Energy and Water. The team also collected soil samples for various tests, including sieve analysis, Atterberg Limits, soil classification, California Bearing Ratio, Dynamic Cone Penetration, Field Vane Shear, and Field Density Test. The site visit report documents the findings of the reconnaissance team, including the approximate excavated volume of the dug channel, the volume of the slide soil mass, and the stored water volume in the water impoundment. The report also includes mapping and drawings of the drainage channel layout and cross sections, as well as soil test results. The team acquired over 500 photos of the landslide area and the surrounding Ab-e-Barik village, and the limits of the landslide, water impoundment, and dug channel have been documented by GPS coordinates. The geotechnical tests included soil samples from multiple locations, with tests performed at three locations for sieve analysis, Atterberg Limits, soil classification, and soil moisture. California Bearing Ratio tests were performed at three locations, Dynamic Cone Penetration tests at ten locations, Field Vane Shear Tests at nine locations, and Field Density Tests at nine locations. The team also collected data on the current flow through the water impoundment, which varies between 50 to 100 liters per second. The site visit report was prepared for the United States Agency for International Development, Contract No. EDH-I-00-08-00027-00, Task Order 01, Afghanistan Engineering Support Program. The report includes a disclaimer stating that the information contained in the report is for illustrative purposes only and that all policy, personal, financial, and procurement sensitive information has been removed.