Department of Environmental Science and Water Resources

Water is Life, No Water No Future. There is an acute need for knowledge on the water resources: the available amount and used in Afghanistan. If we did not pay any attention to water resources of Afghanistan, the current water resources and Environmental degradation may lead the country deeper into poverty. The 30 years of conflict in Afghanistan has damaged not only the country's society and its institutions, but also its Environment. The main impacts are the depletion and overuse of important resources especially water. It was recognized that water resources engineering and management are the only way to develop the economics of Afghanistan. On the view of water quality, just 31 per cent of households have access to safe drinking water. Water supply that feeds from ground water has covered only 13 per cent of the population. USGS has reported that groundwater table is decreasing 1m/year due to increase in population and climate change effects and there is no reliable alternative groundwater resources have been identified. However Climate change, the resulting melting of mountains glaciers, and poor management of water resources are threatening water scarcity.

       Mission

  • To promote sustainability of our nation's water resources through the evaluation of information, development and use of indicators, targeting of research, and the engagement of people and partners to improve the management, conservation, and use of water and related resources.


Ongoing Projects:

Kabul city underground dam model.


       Vision

  • A future in which our nation's water resources support the integrity of economic, social, and ecological systems and enhance the capacity of these systems to benefit people and nature.
  • Strengthen stakeholder collaboration to enhance water storage and adaptation to climate change impacts.


       Goal

  • Engage in and support outreach to raise awareness of the need for sustainable water resource management and to promote policies and activities, informed by science, that should result in or improve the sustainable management of water resources.
  • Facilitate collaborative, interdisciplinary scientific research on parameters related to the quality and availability of water and related resources, including research to fill gaps in data needed for the use of criteria and indicators, as well as research testing the application of sustainability principles and developing best management practices.