A serious accident occurred on the under-construction irrigation canal Kosh-Tepa in Afghanistan, resulting in a massive release of water into the nearby area, Rivers Help reports, citing the environmental coalition "Rivers Without Borders."
Experts examined satellite images and discovered a giant water spill that occurred after the completion of the first section of the canal in October 2023. At that time, Afghan media reported the completion of construction eight months ahead of schedule. However, ecologists claim that in the first month after filling the canal with water from the Amu Darya River, the walls of the hydraulic structure couldn't withstand the pressure, and a vast volume of water burst out of the canal.
The force and volume of the water released from the canal were sufficient to create a massive flood extending 9 km, noted Alexander Kolotov, a representative of the coalition, adding that the area of the flood continues to steadily increase, indicating a lack of capability or willingness by the Taliban to address the situation.
However, Afghan media has not reported on the accident. Moreover, on October 30, the Taliban assured representatives from Uzbekistan, who arrived in Afghanistan, that Kosh-Tepa poses no threat to Uzbekistan's irrigation system and will benefit both countries.
In September, at the Aral Sea International Fund summit, Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed concerns that the construction of the canal in Afghanistan could significantly alter the water balance in Central Asia.
In response, the acting Minister of Water and Energy of the Taliban government, Abdul-Latif Mansoor, stated, "Shavkat Mirziyoyev's concern about the waters of the Amu Darya and the Kosh-Tepa canal would be appropriate if there were violations of the treaty. But in this case, we have not accepted any obligations. There is no contract. Therefore, we do what we consider necessary."
Ecologists note that even without considering water loss due to accidents and spills, Kosh-Tepa will be able to divert up to 15-20% of the entire flow of the Amu Darya. Additionally, Afghanistan has announced the construction of two hydropower stations, "Dahandara" and "Almar," in the Faryab province in the northwest of the country near the Turkmen border, which could further exacerbate the situation.
It is unclear how the water spill at Kosh-Tepa will affect the water situation and agriculture in Central Asian countries. None of the neighboring governments have commented on the incident so far.
The Kosh Tepa canal is a mega-project of the Afghan government, and its construction was announced in March 2022. According to the Taliban's estimates, Kosh-Tepa, with a length of 285 km, a width of 100 meters, and an estimated cost of $684 million, will help irrigate arid regions and contribute to agricultural development. The water for the canal will be taken from the part of the Amu Darya River that shares the border with Tajikistan.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
December 14, 2023