New dams being built in Kandahar to control water

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Local officials in southern Kandahar province say new water reservoirs and check dams will be constructed for controlling water and improving irrigation system in the province.

Eng. Toryali Mahbobi, head of Arghandab River Authority, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the central government had planned implementing some big projects to control water and enrich underground water in Kandahar province.

He said technical survey for heightening Dahla Dam’s walls and acquisition of 64 villages around the dam had been completed and practical work on the project would be started in near future.

Dahla Dam can help irrigate farm land of seven districts of Kandahar province.

Mahbobi said Dahla Dam construction had been divided into four phases including raising the dam’s walls, modernizing the dam’s canals, providing potable water network to Kandahar city and production of 24 megawatts of electricity.

He said the dam’s walls would be heightened by 12 meters and it would help store three times more water compared to the past.

Mahbobi said the dam had the capacity to store 500 million cubic meters water when it was first built around 70 years ago but now it could store only 290 million cubic meters water due to silting.

The dam would store around 950 million cubic meters water after raising its walls and the water would be accessible for farmers in all areas of the province.

He said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had promised to initialize the project which would cost 470 million US dollars.

Mahbobi said four other dams and check dams would be also built in Kandahar.

He said the central government wanted to build four more dams in Kandahar city and in Arghistan district.

Locations for some small check dams are being specified and their survey and design would start in future, he said.

Construction of a dam in the northern part of Kandahar city would help prevent floods and increase underground water level.

He said construction of three water dams in Arghistan was also important because the move would improve agriculture and people’s economy in the district.

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