Kamal Khan Dam ( ps, کمال خان بند) is a
hydroelectric and irrigation dam project on the
Helmand River
The Helmand River (also spelled Helmend, or Helmund, Hirmand; Pashto/ Persian: ; Greek: ' (''Etýmandros''); Latin: ') is the longest river in Afghanistan and the primary watershed for the endorheic Sistan Basin. It emerges in the Sanglak ...
in
Chahar Burjak District
Chahar Burjak District is a district of Nimruz Province in Afghanistan. At just under in area, it is the largest district in Afghanistan. The Kamal Khan Dam is located in this district.
The population of Chahar Burjak was reported in 2004 at ap ...
of
Nimruz Province
Nimruz or Nimroz (Dari: ; Balochi: ) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the southwestern part of the country. It lies to the east of the Sistan and Baluchestan Province of Iran and north of Balochistan, Pakistan, also borde ...
in south-western
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
. It is located about 95 km to the southeast of
Zaranj
Zaranj or Zarang ( Persian/Pashto/ bal, زرنج) is a city in southwestern Afghanistan, near the border with Iran, which has a population of 160,902 people as of 2015. It is the capital of Nimruz Province and is linked by highways with Lashkarga ...
. Construction work on the dam officially began in 1974 but after the 1978
Saur Revolution, the
Americans
Americans are the citizens and nationals of the United States of America.; ; Although direct citizens and nationals make up the majority of Americans, many dual citizens, expatriates, and permanent residents could also legally claim Ame ...
involved in the construction were compelled to leave Afghanistan and the project was abandoned.
It was recently completed.
The hydroelectric plant produces 9 MW of
electric power in addition to providing irrigation to about 175,000 hectares (432,434 acres) of agricultural land.
Its
reservoir
A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation.
Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
has the capacity to store up to 52 million cubic meters of
fresh water.
Kamal Khan Dam is managed by Afghanistan's
National Water Affairs Regulation Authority
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
(NWARA), which was formerly the
Ministry of Energy and Water. Work on the 3rd phase of the dam began on 19 April 2017 by President
Ashraf Ghani
Mohammad Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai (born 19 May 1949) is an Afghan politician, academic, and economist who served as the president of Afghanistan from September 2014 until August 2021, when his government was overthrown by the Taliban.
Born in ...
and members of his administration. The
Iranian government
The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran ( fa, نظام جمهوری اسلامی ایران, Neẓām-e jomhūrī-e eslāmi-e Irān, known simply as ''Neẓām'' ( fa, نظام, lit=the system) among its supporters) is the ruling state a ...
has requested that the
Afghan government
The government of Afghanistan, officially called the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is the central government of Afghanistan, a unitary state. Under the leadership of the Taliban, the government is a theocracy and an emirate with political powe ...
releases more water toward Iran.
Kamal Khan Dam was inaugurated by President
Ashraf Ghani
Mohammad Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai (born 19 May 1949) is an Afghan politician, academic, and economist who served as the president of Afghanistan from September 2014 until August 2021, when his government was overthrown by the Taliban.
Born in ...
on 24 March 2021.
See also
*
List of dams and reservoirs in Afghanistan
Dams and reservoirs in Afghanistan are used for irrigation, water supply, hydro-electric power generation or combination of these. Below are a map and a chart showing some of Afghanistan's dams and reservoirs.
Location map of major reservoirs an ...
*
List of rivers of Afghanistan
This is a list of rivers wholly or partly in Afghanistan, arranged geographically by river basin.
Flowing into the Arabian Sea
*''Indus River (Pakistan)''
**Gomal River
*** Kundar River
***Zhob River
**Kurram River
** Kabul River
***Bara ...
*
Water supply in Afghanistan
Water supply in Afghanistan is managed by the National Water Affairs Regulation Authority (NWARA), which is based in Kabul, Afghanistan. The nation's water supply is characterized by a number of achievements and challenges. Among the achievements ...
References
External links
National Water Affairs Regulation Authority(NWARA)
Zawia News Kamal Khan Water Dam Latest Report(video in Pashto language, Feb. 4, 2021)
Nimruz celebrates Kamal Khan Dam progress as reservoir fills up(video in Persian language, Ariana News, Feb. 4, 2021)
Kamal Khan Dam in Nimroz Province 'Nearly Finished': Official(TOLOnews), Feb. 4, 2021)
{{Dams and reservoirs in Afghanistan
Dams in Afghanistan
Hydroelectric power stations in Afghanistan
Buildings and structures in Nimruz Province
Dam controversies
Rock-filled dams