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PANJSHIR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Members of the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team travelled to Paryan District on an overnight mission Sept. 28 to assess multiple projects throughout the valley.
One goal of the mission was for the Panjshir PRT engineering team to assess the source of a rockslide and potential for future rockslides at a bridge site in section six of the Panjshir Highway.
The team hiked up Murghabaden Valley to 11,800 feet in elevation, approximately 1,600 feet from where they started, to get a better view of the site.
“Glacier lakes in the mountains create problems when the natural dam gives way creating a rapid flash flood,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Phillip Baker, Panjshir PRT civil engineer and San Antonio native. “As the flood came down, it eroded tons of material to the valley floor where the bridge site is located.”
Baker said the major rockslide happened this past winter and has completely changed the terrain. He said the bridge project, worth more than $160,000, is located on this changed terrain.
“We are working with the contractor on the best location for the bridge,” Baker said. “The terrain showed signs of instability and potential for future rock slides, so we wanted to hike up the valley to assess the source and better understand the threat to infrastructure and safety.”
“The mountains in the Hindu Kush are geologically young and are like conveyer belts for the rocks,” Baker said. “This site is a prime example of some of the engineering challenges we overcome daily while building the Panjshir highway.”
The hike, scheduled to take eight hours, was cut short when heavy snowfall hindered the team’s ability to continue the mission.
“It is hard to predict the weather as you move farther up in the valley,” Baker said. “As we hiked, it started snowing really hard, so we weren’t able to hike all the way to the potential source of the rock slide.”
Even though the hike couldn’t be completed, the engineers were able to do get a better view of the bridge site and build their relationships with the Afghan national policemen who escorted them on their mission.
“Whenever we go on our missions to Paryan, we take ANP with us,” Baker said. “They know the area well and have a good connection with the people.”
He also said including ANP on their mission helps with additional security and increases the ANP’s visibility because they are seen working with the PRT on development projects.
“When you spend hours travelling to different sites and hiking to remote areas with them, I think they appreciate we are trying hard to help and develop their province,” said Baker. “You can tell by the way they come up to our campfire at night, even though there isn’t always an interpreter around. They will still sit with us and communicate with hand gestures.”
“Going on these missions is good training for the Afghan and American soldiers,” said Lt. Mohabullah, Afghan national policeman, through an interpreter. “It also helps us build our relationships between us and the U.S. forces.”
Later that evening, the team camped at the Paryan ANP station, where some ANP shared a meal with PRT members and assisted in providing overnight security.
| Date Taken: | 09.28.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 10.06.2010 14:14 |
| Story ID: | 57624 |
| Location: | PANJSHIR PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 32 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, Engineers conduct overnight mission in Afghanistan, by Capt. Holly Hess, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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