Pashdan Dam Water Released to Irrigate Thousands of Hectares in Herat

For the first time, water stored in the Pashdan Dam in Herat province was released yesterday to irrigate agricultural lands. Local officials have announced that the water flows into the Karukh district and will subsequently cover the areas of Injil, Pashtun Zarghun, as well as parts of northern Herat city.

According to authorities, Pashdan Dam has a storage capacity of 54 million cubic meters of water and can generate two megawatts of electricity. It is also estimated that about 13,000 hectares of farmland will benefit from this water, which, if managed effectively, could have a significant impact on the livelihoods of farmers in the province.

The Pashdan Dam is considered one of the major water projects in western Afghanistan. The dam was handed over for operation last year by the Taliban’s Ministry of Water and Energy.

However, some experts emphasize that equitable water distribution, transparent resource management, and addressing the concerns of downstream residents remain major challenges in implementing such projects—issues that require careful oversight and accountability from officials.