By International Security Assistance Force
KABUL, Afghanistan — Every year the Afghan people of the Deh Rawood region of Uruzgan deal with flooding of the Teri Rud and the Helmand rivers.
District officials and the population have tried everything to reduce the strength and impact of the rivers on the community. International Security Assistance Force soldiers from the Uruzgan Provincial Reconstruction Team have offered help.
"The rainy season is coming, and the Teri Rud River, which flows from Khas Uruzgan to Deh Rawood via Tarin Kowt, will probably burst its banks once more," said Maj. Tony from the PRT. "ISAF soldiers ... have received a lot of requests from the citizens asking for help to secure themselves from the flooding of the river."
Therefore, the population approached the malek, the head of the village, and requested to find a long-term solution. As a result, the malek forwarded a request to the head of the Deh Rawood District and discussed it in a shura with the tribal leaders. The chief of the district approved the request, and subsequently the malek visited the PRT to discuss the technical issues.
It was decided that an integrated water plan for the entire Uruzgan province would be put in place as a long-term solution. The plan includes ideas to reduce water losses by decreasing evaporation and increasing the supply of water by building dams in tributaries, reservoirs and irrigation channels. In addition, the demand for water will be decreased by improved irrigation means, preventing illegal taps, erasing dams that are installed incorrectly and by establishing water agreements between regions.
With the water management plan established, the projects, which are integrated to one another, will begin soon.