Streamflow Characteristics at Streamgages in Northern Afghanistan and Selected Locations

523 Pages·2010·5.61 MB·English

by  Scott A. Olson

Prepared under the auspices of the U.S. Task Force for Business and Stability Operations
Streamflow Characteristics at Streamgages in
Northern Afghanistan and Selected Locations
Data Series 529
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
USGS Afghanistan Project Product Number 179
Cover. Photograph showing the Balkhab River looking upstream at Sari Puhl in northern Afghanistan.
(Photograph by Thomas J. Mack, U.S. Geological Survey)
Prepared under the auspices of the U.S. Task Force for Business and Stability Operations

Streamflow Characteristics at Streamgages in
Northern Afghanistan and Selected Locations
By Scott A. Olson and Tara Williams-Sether

Data Series 529
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey

USGS Afghanistan Project Product Number 179
U.S. Department of the Interior
KEN SALAZAR, Secretary
U.S. Geological Survey
Marcia K. McNutt, Director
U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2010

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Suggested citation:
Olson, S.A., and Williams-Sether, T., 2010, Streamflow characteristics at streamgages in northern Afghanistan and
selected locations: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 529, 512 p., at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/529/.
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Contents
Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 1
History of the Streamgaging Program in Afghanistan .................................................................................................... 8
Explanation of Streamgage Summaries ........................................................................................................................ 8
Station Description ..................................................................................................................................................... 8
Statistics of Monthly and Annual Mean Discharges ................................................................................................... 9
Monthly and Annual Flow Duration ...........................................................................................................................10
Probability of Occurrence of High or Low Discharges ...............................................................................................10
Annual Peak Discharges ...........................................................................................................................................11
Monthly and Annual Mean Discharges......................................................................................................................11
Data Considerations .................................................................................................................................................12
Selected References ....................................................................................................................................................12
Streamflow Statistics ....................................................................................................................................................14
1-0.000-1M Kabul River at Dakah ............................................................................................................................15
1-0.000-4S Kabul River near Daronta ......................................................................................................................21
1-0.000-5W Kabul River at Naghlu ..........................................................................................................................27
1-0.000-6M Kabul River at Tang-i-Gharu .................................................................................................................34
1-2.R00-7T Hazarnaw River at Sabay .....................................................................................................................41
1-4.1R0-1A Pech River at Chaghasarai ...................................................................................................................47
1-4.2R0-1A Landaisin River near Gawardesh ..........................................................................................................54
1-4.L00-1A Konar River at Pul-i-Kama .....................................................................................................................60
1-4.L00-2T Konar River near Konari ........................................................................................................................66
1-4.L00-3A Konar River at Nawabad .......................................................................................................................72
1-4.L00-4T Konar River near Asmar ........................................................................................................................78
1-5.R00-1A Surkhrud River near Sultanpur .............................................................................................................84
1-6.L00-1A Laghman River at Pul-i-Qarghai ............................................................................................................90
1-7.L00-1A Tagab River at Tagab ............................................................................................................................97
1-8.21L-1A Salang River at Bagh-i-Lala .................................................................................................................103
1-8.2R0-1A Ghorband River at Pul-i-Aahawa ........................................................................................................110
1-8.3R0-1A Shatul River at Gulbahar.....................................................................................................................117
1-8.L00-3A Panjsher River at Shukhi .....................................................................................................................123
1-8.L00-5A Panjsher River at Gulbahar .................................................................................................................130
1-8.L00-8A Panjsher River at Omarz .....................................................................................................................137
1-9.R00-4W Chakari River at Band-i-Amir Ghazi ...................................................................................................144
1-11.1L0-4W Qargha River Below Qargha Reservoir ............................................................................................151
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1-11.1L0-5W Qargha River above Qargha Reservoir ............................................................................................158
1-11.L00-1A Paghman River at Pul-i-Sokhta .........................................................................................................165
2-4.000-5A Urgun River at Pirkoti ..........................................................................................................................172
2-4.4L0-2T Dahane Legad River near Urgun .........................................................................................................178
8-0.000-1M Hari Rud River at Tir Pul .....................................................................................................................184
8-0.000-2M Hari Rud River at Pul-i-Hashimi ..........................................................................................................190
8-0.000-3S Hari Rud River at Pul-i-Pashtoon ........................................................................................................196
8-0.000-4M Hari Rud River at Robat-i-Akhond ......................................................................................................202
8-0.000-5M Hari Rud River at Tagaw Ghaza .........................................................................................................208
8-0.000-7M Hari Rud River at Chekhcheran ..........................................................................................................215
8-0.000-9M Hari Rud River at Daulatyar ................................................................................................................222
8-1.R00-9T Senjab River at Khush Rabat ..............................................................................................................228
8-2.R00-3A Karukh River near Herat .....................................................................................................................234
8-3.L00-1A Kowgan River at Langar ......................................................................................................................240
8-3.L00-6A Kowgan River at Tangi Azu .................................................................................................................247
8-11.L00-1A Lal River at Shinya ............................................................................................................................254
9-0.000-1M Murghab River at Bala Murghab .........................................................................................................260
9-0.000-5M Murghab River at Qala-i-Niazkhan ......................................................................................................266
9-1.000-1A Gulran River at Char Takhta ................................................................................................................272
9-2.000-1A Kushk River at Chil Dukhtaran ............................................................................................................278
9-3.000-1A Kashan River at Babulai ......................................................................................................................284
9-4.R00-8A Chichaktu River at Chichaktu ..............................................................................................................290
9-5.L00-1A Bum River at Luka-i-Surkh ..................................................................................................................296
10-0.000-3M Shirin Tagab River at Pata Baba ......................................................................................................302
10-0.000-4M Shirin Tagab River at Daulatabad .....................................................................................................309
10-0.000-6M Shirin Tagab River at Khisht Pul .......................................................................................................315
10-1.1L0-7A Qaisar River at Qaisar .......................................................................................................................321
10-1.L00-1T Maimana River near Pata Baba .........................................................................................................327
11-0.000-4M Sare Pul River at Asiabad .................................................................................................................333
11-1.R00-1A Shorab River River near Sare Pul .....................................................................................................339
12-0.000-1M Balkh River at Rabat-i-Bala ...............................................................................................................345
12-0.000-9M Balkh River near Nayak ....................................................................................................................352
12-0.000-10M Balkh River Below Band-i-Amir .......................................................................................................358
12-1.R00-1A Suf River near Kishandeh .................................................................................................................364
13-0.000-1M Khulm River at Tangi Tashqurghan ..................................................................................................370
13-0.000-2M Khulm River at Sayad .......................................................................................................................376
14-0.000-1M Kunduz River at Kulukh Tepa ...........................................................................................................382
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14-0.000-2M Kunduz River at Char Dara ...............................................................................................................388
14-0.000-3M Kunduz River at Gerdab ...................................................................................................................394
14-0.000-4M Kunduz River at Baghlan ..................................................................................................................401
14-0.000-5S Kunduz River at Pul-i-Khumri ............................................................................................................407
14-0.000-6M Kunduz River at Pul-i-Konda Sang ...................................................................................................414
14-0.000-8M Kunduz River at Dasht-i-Safed .........................................................................................................420
14-1.1L0-1A Bangi River at Pul-i-Bangi .................................................................................................................426
14-1.R00-2A Taloqan River at Pul-i-Chugha ..........................................................................................................433
14-1.R00-5A Farkhar River near Taloqan ..............................................................................................................440
14-5.R00-1A Andarab River at Doshi .....................................................................................................................446
14-9.5R0-1T Foladi River at Bamyan .....................................................................................................................452
14-9.R00-1A Bamyan River at Doab ......................................................................................................................458
14-9.R00-6T Bamyan River at Ahangaran .............................................................................................................464
14-9.R00-8A Bamyan River at Bamyan .................................................................................................................470
15-0.000-1M Kokcha River at Khogaghar ..............................................................................................................476
15-0.000-3M Kokcha River near Keshem ..............................................................................................................483
15-0.000-6M Kokcha River near Jurm ...................................................................................................................489
15-1.L00-1A Keshem River near Keshem ..............................................................................................................495
15-10.R00-1A Warduj River at Shashpul ...............................................................................................................501
15-10.R00-2A Warduj River near Baharak .............................................................................................................507

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Figures
Figure 1. Map showing location of streamgages within the Kabul and Indus Basins for which streamflow statistics
are published in this report ............................................................................................................................................ 2
Figure 2. Map showing location of streamgages within the Amu Darya Basin for which streamflow statistics are
published in this report ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Figure 3. Map showing locations of streamgages within the Northern Basins for which streamflow statistics are
published in this report ................................................................................................................................................... 4
Figure 4. Map showing locations of streamgages within the Hari Rud and Murghab Basins for which streamflow
statistics are published in this report .............................................................................................................................. 5
Table
Table 1. List of streamgages in Afghanistan for which streamflow statistics are published in this report ................. 6

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Conversion Factors
Multiply By To obtain
Length
meter (m) 3.281 foot (ft)
kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile (mi)
Area
square meter (m2) 0.0002471 acre
hectare (ha) 2.471 acre
square kilometer (km2) 247.1 acre
square meter (m2) 10.76 square foot (ft2)
square hectometer (hm2) 0.003861 section (640 acres or 1 square mile)
hectare (ha) 0.003861 square mile (mi2)
square kilometer (km2) 0.3861 square mile (mi2)
Volume
cubic meter (m3) 264.2 gallon (gal)
cubic meter (m3) 0.0002642 million gallons (Mgal)
cubic meter (m3) 35.31 cubic foot (ft3)
cubic meter (m3) 1.308 cubic yard (yd3)
cubic meter (m3) 0.0008107 acre-foot (acre-ft)
Flow rate
cubic meter per second (m3/s) 70.07 acre-foot per day (acre-ft/d)
cubic meter per second (m3/s) 35.31 cubic foot per second (ft3/s)
cubic meter per second per square 91.49 cubic foot per second per square mile
kilometer [(m3/s)/km2] [(ft3/s)/mi2]
cubic meter per second (m3/s) 22.83 million gallons per day (Mgal/d)

Altitude, as used in this report, refers to distance above mean sea level at an unknown vertical datum.

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Streamflow Characteristics at Streamgages in
Northern Afghanistan and Selected Locations
By Scott A. Olson and Tara Williams-Sether
Abstract
Statistical summaries of streamflow data for 79 historical streamgages in Northern Afghanistan
and other selected historical streamgages are presented in this report. The summaries for each
streamgage include (1) station description, (2) graph of the annual mean discharge for the period of
record, (3) statistics of monthly and annual mean discharges, (4) monthly and annual flow duration,
(5) probability of occurrence of annual high discharges, (6) probability of occurrence of annual low
discharges, (7) probability of occurrence of seasonal low discharges, (8) annual peak discharges for the
period of record, and (9) monthly and annual mean discharges for the period of record.
Introduction
Preliminary hydrologic evaluations are needed to determine the water-resource priorities in all
areas of Afghanistan for agricultural, industrial, and residential water uses. This report focuses on
providing streamflow characteristics of 79 streamgages in the northern half of Afghanistan, primarily in
the Kabul, Amu Darya, Northern, Hari Rud and Murghab Basins (figs. 1–4). This report also includes
some streamgages in other parts of Afghanistan that were not included in previous reports (Williams-
Sether, 2008; Vining, 2010). The basins represented in the report are in arid and mountainous
environments, often fed by melting snow from the high mountains and infrequent storms.
Because there can be great fluctuations in streamflow, from flood to drought, in Afghanistan,
knowledge of the magnitude and time distribution of streamflow is essential for all aspects of water
management and environmental planning. To provide the Afghan managers with necessary streamflow
information, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Task Force for Business and
Stability Operations, computed streamflow statistics for data collected at historical streamgages in
northern Afghanistan and selected locations in southeastern Afghanistan. Agencies responsible for the
development and management of the surface-water resources of Afghanistan can use the data provided
in this report to assist in making safe, economical, and environmentally sound water-resource planning
decisions. The historical streamgages used are listed in table 1 and their locations are shown in
figures 1–4.

1