assessing groundwater dynamics in the kabul basin: implications for sustainable management

Groundwater, particularly from aquifers in afghanistan's arid and semi-arid eastern basin, has long served as a primary water source for industry, agriculture, and domestic use. however, recent decades have witnessed a troubling trend of over-extraction driven by population growth and recurrent droughts, compounded by insufficient planning. effective groundwater management, focusing on con-trolled extraction that aligns with aquifer capacity, is essential for long-term sustainability. this study employs arc gis software to assess quantitative and qualitative shifts in groundwater dynamics within the kabul basin. data from 54 wells, monitored at various intervals from 2005 to 2020, were meticu-lously analyzed, incorporating geological, climatic, and hydrological parameters. the findings reveal significant fluctuations in groundwater levels, with an average decline of 16.5 meters over the 13-year study period. the groundwater level decreased by 12 meters in some parts of the kabul aquifers, at a rate of 80 centimeters per year. alterations in flow distribution patterns were observed, particularly in the paghman-darulaman and central kabul aquifers. water quality parameters also changed, with 82% of samples collected in november 2020 showing electrical conductivity values greater than 1,000 μs/cm, compared to 73% in 2004, indicating increasing salinity. the total groundwater storage loss in the kabul aquifer during the study period was estimated at 358 million cubic meters. groundwater consumption in 2020 was approximately 277 million cubic meters, twice the natural recharge rate. fu-ture projections indicate an accelerated depletion of groundwater reserves, especially in densely popu-lated urban regions like kabul, necessitating immediate intervention to avert impending water scarcity crises. groundwater, particularly from aquifers in afghanistan's arid and semi-arid eastern basin, has long served as a primary water source for industry, agriculture, and domestic use. however, recent decades have witnessed a troubling trend of over-extraction driven by population growth and recurrent droughts, compounded by insufficient planning. effective groundwater management, focusing on con-trolled extraction that aligns with aquifer capacity, is essential for long-term sustainability. this study employs arc gis software to assess quantitative and qualitative shifts in groundwater dynamics within the kabul basin. data from 54 wells, monitored at various intervals from 2005 to 2020, were meticu-lously analyzed, incorporating geological, climatic, and hydrological parameters. the findings reveal significant fluctuations in groundwater levels, with an average decline of 16.5 meters over the 13-year study period. the groundwater level decreased by 12 meters in some parts of the kabul aquifers, at a rate of 80 centimeters per year. alterations in flow distribution patterns were observed, particularly in the paghman-darulaman and central kabul aquifers. water quality parameters also changed, with 82% of samples collected in november 2020 showing electrical conductivity values greater than 1,000 μs/cm, compared to 73% in 2004, indicating increasing salinity. the total groundwater storage loss in the kabul aquifer during the study period was estimated at 358 million cubic meters. groundwater consumption in 2020 was approximately 277 million cubic meters, twice the natural recharge rate. fu-ture projections indicate an accelerated depletion of groundwater reserves, especially in densely popu-lated urban regions like kabul, necessitating immediate intervention to avert impending water scarcity crises.