List of dams and reservoirs in Afghanistan
Appearance

Dams and reservoirs in Afghanistan are used for irrigation, water supply, hydro-electric power generation or a combination of these.[1] The Ministry of Energy and Water continues to build more dams.[2][3][4][5]
Location map of major dams and reservoirs in Afghanistan
[edit]Below is a map showing some of Afghanistan's major dams and reservoirs.


List of major dams and reservoirs in Afghanistan
[edit]| Dam | Location | Impounds | Purpose | Dam type | Storage capacity | Height (m) |
Length (m) |
Power Gen. | Year completed | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ayno Maina Dam | Kandahar, Kandahar Province | Irrigation | Embankment | |||||||
| Band-e Amir | Bamyan Province | Irrigation | Embankment | |||||||
| Bakhshabad Dam | Bala Buluk District, Farah Province | Farah River | Hydroelectricity, irrigation | 27 MW | Under construction | [6][7][8][9] | ||||
| Chaki Wardak Dam | Chaki Wardak District, Maidan Wardak Province | Logar River | Irrigation | 1938 | Oldest modern dam | |||||
| Dahla Dam | Shah Wali Kot District, Kandahar Province | Arghandab River | Irrigation | Embankment | 55 m (180 ft) | 535 m (1,755 ft) | 1952 | |||
| Darunta Dam | Jalalabad, Nangarhar Province | Kabul River | Hydroelectricity, irrigation | Gravity | 11.5 MW | 1960 | ||||
| Grishk Dam | Grishk District, Helmand Province | Helmand River | Hydroelectricity, irrigation | Embankment | 1945 | |||||
| Kajaki Dam | Kajaki District, Helmand Province | Helmand River | Hydroelectricity, irrigation | Embankment | 1,715,000,000 m3 (1,390,373 acre⋅ft) | 100 m (330 ft) | 270 m (890 ft) | 151 MW | 1953 | [10][11] |
| Kamal Khan Dam | Chahar Burjak District, Nimruz Province | Helmand River | Hydroelectricity, irrigation | Embankment | 16 m (52 ft) | 2.274 km (1.413 mi) | 9 MW | 2021 | [12][13] | |
| Machalgho Dam | Ahmad Aba District, Paktia Province | Hydroelectricity, irrigation | 0.8 MW | Under construction | [14] | |||||
| Mahipar Dam | Kabul Province | Logar River | Hydroelectricity | 66 MW | 1967 | [15][16] | ||||
| Miankoh Dam | Kandahar, Kandahar Province | Irrigation | Embankment | 1,500,000 m (4,900,000 ft) | 9 m (30 ft) | 150 m (490 ft) | 2024 | [17] | ||
| Naghlu Dam | Surobi District, Kabul Province | Kabul River | Hydroelectricity | Gravity | 550,000,000 m3 (445,892 acre⋅ft) | 110 m (360 ft) | 280 m (920 ft) | 100 MW | 1968 | [18] |
| Nahr Gawkush Dam | Kunduz Province | Khanabad River | Hydroelectricity, irrigation | Gravity | 10 MW | [19] | ||||
| Nawur Dam | Nawur District, Ghazni Province | Irrigation | Gravity | [20] | ||||||
| Omari Dam | Qalat District, Zabul Province | Hydroelectricity, irrigation | Gravity | 2,900,000 m3 (2,351 acre⋅ft) | 25 m (82 ft) | 70 m (230 ft) | 0.1 MW | 2024 | [21] | |
| Paltuni Dam | Sharan District, Paktika Province | Gardez River | Hydroelectricity, irrigation | Embankment | 30 m (98 ft) | 260 m (850 ft) | 1 MW | 30% completed | [22][23] | |
| Pashdan Dam | Karukh District, Herat Province | Hari River | Hydroelectricity, irrigation | Embankment | 42 m (138 ft) | 2 MW | 2025 | [24] | ||
| Qargha Dam | Kabul Province | Paghman River | Irrigation | Embankment | 32,800,000 m3 (26,591 acre⋅ft) | 30 m (98 ft) | 450 m (1,480 ft) | N/A | 1933 | |
| Salma Dam | Chishti Sharif District, Herat Province | Hari River | Hydroelectricity, irrigation | Embankment | 633,000,000 m3 (513,181 acre⋅ft) | 107.5 m (353 ft) | 551 m (1,808 ft) | 42 MW | 2016 | [25] |
| Sangjoy Solidarity Dam | Jaghori District, Ghazni Province | Hydroelectricity, irrigation | Gravity | Under construction | [26] | |||||
| Sarda Dam | Andar District, Ghazni Province | Gardez River | Irrigation | Embankment | 259,000,000 m3 (209,975 acre⋅ft) | 1967 | ||||
| Shahtoot Dam | Char Asiab District, Kabul Province | Kabul River | Irrigation | Gravity | Under construction | [27][1] | ||||
| Shah wa Arus Dam | Shakardara District, Kabul Province | Shakardara River | Hydroelectricity, irrigation | Gravity | 180,000 m3 (146 acre⋅ft) | 75 m (246 ft) | 1.2MW | 2023 | [28] | |
| Shorabak Dam | Fayzabad District, Badakhshan Province | Kokcha River | Hydroelectricity | Gravity | 7.5 MW | 2021 | [29][30] | |||
| Sukhtook Dam | Nili District, Daykundi Province | Lazier River | Hydroelectricity, irrigation | Gravity | 0.7 MW | 2021 | [31] | |||
| Sultan Dam | Zana Khan District, Ghazni Province | Ghazni River | Irrigation | Gravity | 10th century | |||||
| Surkhab Dam | Logar Province | |||||||||
| Surobi Dam | Surobi District, Kabul Province | Kabul River | Hydroelectricity | Gravity | 22.8MW | [33] | ||||
Major dams reported to be under construction in various parts of Afghanistan
[edit]- Agha Jan Dam in Uruzgan Province[34][35][36]
- Baghdara Dam in Kapisa Province[37][38]
- Dahan Dara Dam in Faryab Province[39]
- Kahdanak Dam in Shindand District of Herat Province[24]
- Kaj Samad Dam between Farah Province and Nimruz Province[40][41]
- Kharwar Dam in Logar Province[42]
- Kunar Dam in Surtak in Kunar Province[43][44]
- Lawari Dam in Kandahar Province[45]
- Manogi Power Dam in Kunar Province[46][47]
- Sultan Ibrahim Dam in Sar-e Pol Province[48][35][34]
- Two dams in Baghlan Province.[49] One is named Pul-e-Khumri Dam.[50]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 "India's Controversial Afghanistan Dams". The Diplomat. August 20, 2018. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
- ↑ "Ghazni farmers thrive as 39 check dams revive agriculture, ease drought". Pajhwok Afghan News. 14 September 2025. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
- ↑ "Minister of Water and Energy: Agha Jan dam works to commence soon". Radio Television Afghanistan. July 14, 2024. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
- ↑ "Work on 12m afs check dam kicks off in Herat". Pajhwok Afghan News. 7 September 2025. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
- ↑ "Efforts Underway to Address Kabul's Water Crisis: Water Supply Company". TOLOnews. 8 February 2026. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
- ↑ "Practical work starts on Bakhshabad dam in Farah province". Ariana News. May 20, 2023. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
- ↑ "Work on Construction of Farah's Bakhshabad Dam Begins". TOLOnews. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
- ↑ "Work on Bakhshabad Dam's diversion tunnels begins". Pajhwok Afghan News. 20 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
- ↑ "Work On Bakhshabad Dam In Afghanistan's Farah Province Started". Khaama Press. May 21, 2023. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
- ↑ "Kajaki Dam power generation capacity surges to 151MW". Pajhwok Afghan News. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
- ↑ "Second Phase of Kajaki Power Dam Completed". TOLOnews. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
- ↑ "Afghanistan successfully tests water flow at major dam". Anadolu Agency. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
- ↑ "Water Intake Begins at Kamal Khan Dam". TOLOnews. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
- ↑ "Paktia residents urge completion of Machalgho dam project". Pajhwok Afghan News. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
- ↑ "Mahipar". energypedia.info. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- ↑ "Mahipar Hydroelectric Power Plant". globalenergyobservatory.org. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- ↑ وروستیو بارانونو د کندهار ښار د میانکو چیک ډېم ډک کړیدی... on YouTube (RTA Pashto, April 16, 2024)
- ↑ "Naghlu dam power output doubles to 100mw". Pajhwok Afghan News. April 21, 2019. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
- ↑ "Hydroelectric Project Inaugurated In Kunduz". TOLOnews. 18 June 2016. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
- ↑ سفر ناهور - بند بایی ولسوالی ناهور سرد و زیبا on YouTube (at 6:25)
- ↑ "Tori Dam in Zabul has been Inaugurated". TOLOnews. 27 September 2024. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
- ↑ دا بند به ۲۵ زره هکتاره ځمکه خړوبه کړي on YouTube
- ↑ "Paktika's Paltuni Dam Construction Reaches 20% Completion". TOLOnews. 2 February 2025. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- 1 2 "Pashdan Dam Inaugurated in Herat". TOLOnews. 14 August 2025. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ↑ "At Afghan dam inauguration, PM promises: India will not forget you". indianexpress.com. 5 June 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- ↑ د غزني جاغورو ولسوالۍ خلک په شخصي لګښت د اوبو ذخیروي بند جوړوي on YouTube (Hurriyat Radio, July 30, 2025)
- ↑ "India, Afghanistan Sign Agreement to Build Dam". TOLOnews. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ↑ "Shah wa Arus dam inaugurated in Kabul". Ariana News. December 31, 2024. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
- ↑ "Afghanistan completes key hydropower project". Anadolu Agency. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
- ↑ "Construction of Shorabak Power Dam To Utter in 3 Months". Khaama Press. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
- ↑ "Sokhtook Dam To Provide Electricity To 2000 Families In Daikundi". Bakhtar News Agency. February 21, 2018. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ↑ "Ghani: Pursuing Nation Building". Daily Outlook Afghanistan. February 11, 2018. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ↑ "Sarobi Dam". industryabout.com. Archived from the original on July 26, 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- 1 2 "Work on Dams in Sar-e-Pul, Uruzgan to Begin Soon: Officials". TOLOnews. 30 July 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
- 1 2 "Construction of Sar-e-Pul and Uruzgan dams to start soon". Ariana News. July 30, 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
- ↑ "Uruzgan residents urge construction of Agha Jan Dam". Pajhwok Afghan News. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
- ↑ "IEA, Chinese company signs deal for Kapisa dam feasibility study". Ariana News. December 1, 2024. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
- ↑ کار مرحله دوم بند برق باغدره در پروان آغاز شد on YouTube
- ↑ "4 years on, practical work on Dahan Dara Dam yet to begin". Pajhwok Afghan News. 3 December 2020.
- ↑ "Research Initiated for Kaj Samad Dam to Address Water Needs in Nimroz". TOLOnews. 25 December 2024. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
- ↑ "Good news for the people of Farah and Nimroz provinces / Kaj Samad dam to begin soon". Afghan Voice Agency. 25 December 2024. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
- ↑ "Reconstruction works at Logar's Kharwar dam resume". Pajhwok Afghan News. 10 April 2024.
- ↑ "World Bank to Finance Electric Dam Project in Kunar River". TOLOnews. 22 April 2013. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
- ↑ "Joint dam on Kunar River being mulled". Pajhwok Afghan News. 23 August 2013.
- ↑ "Newly-built dam inaugurated in drought-hit Arghistan". Pajhwok Afghan News. 16 December 2020.
- ↑ "Construction work on Kunar's Managi power dam launched". 15 November 2013.
- ↑ "Residents urge govt to build big dam on Kunar River". Pajhwok Afghan News. 11 June 2016.
- ↑ "Sultan Ibrahim dam to irrigate 55,000 hectares of land". Pajhwok Afghan News. 31 July 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
- ↑ "Baghlan hydropower dams being reconstructed". Pajhwok Afghan News. 8 April 2013.
- ↑ "Agreements Signed to Rebuild Kandahar, Baghlan Dams". TOLOnews. 6 December 2017.
External links
[edit]- "More than 150 check dams to be constructed this year: MoWE". Pajhwok Afghan News. 16 April 2024.
- "Dam Will Be Built on Kunar River: MoEW". TOLOnews. 10 December 2023.
- "Two Small Dams Built in Pusht-e-Rod District of Farah". TOLOnews. 23 December 2023.
- "Badakhshan lakes attractive tourist points: Official". Pajhwok Afghan News. 24 July 2023.
- "5 check dams costing 35m afs inaugurated in Wardak". Pajhwok Afghan News. 13 March 2023.