Sustainability for the Watershed Management in Afghanistan: Example from Amu River Basin

Abstract

The Amu River Basin, located in northeast Afghanistan, is the second largest basin. Therefore, a general concept of the importance and value of watershed management has been reviewed. Too little water at a given time can be a disaster (e.g., draughts), and too much water available at the same time is also a tragedy (e.g., in the form of floods). Sustainable water management needs to have a moderate water flow, maintenance of the water quality, mitigation of water flows to minimize soil erosion, recharging of groundwater, and conservation and recycling. This paper will help understand the different elements and aspects of watershed management in Afghanistan and its interactions with technology, economics, institute, and natural resources. The importance of contributing to water and land management is linked with the people's livelihood.