The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW) jointly organized a nine-day training workshop on bathymetric survey and HEC-RAS (hydrological module) dam break analysis from 14 to 23 January 2020 in Kabul. 

The ultimate aim of the activity was to provide data for the preparation of Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) for dam break situations. The workshop served as a platform for the stakeholders to discuss and brainstorm the major challenges faced by water sector, in particular by the Dam Safety Unit of MEW and to improve the capacity of the Unit to conduct bathymetric survey of reservoirs and dam break analysis of barrages.

The workshop was facilitated by FAO international experts and attended by about 50 water experts from MEW and Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS).

The training consisted of theoretical principles and practical field work, which enabled the participants to learn how to conduct bathymetric survey, process data, analyze the results and incorporate the results into dam-break model. The training included a one-day field trip to Qargha dam as well.

“Organizing such workshops help us to have better understanding of water dams in the country”, said Najibullah Shirzad, acting PCU Director, MEW. ”The Ministry of Energy and Water has decided that staff who receive the necessary theoretical and practical training in this workshop will continue to apply their experience and knowledge on the country’s water dams in the future”, he added.

“This was a fruitful training, and I am sure the participants learned a lot of necessary technical matters”, said Eng. Sayed Shabir Shobair, IRDP national project coordinator and Chief Engineer. “The day allocated for the practical work in the reservoir of Qargha dam enabled the participants to carry out the study of sedimentation and the determination of the volume of water and they managed to obtain good results although it was too cold and some parts of the reservoir were frozen”, he further added.

The workshop was specifically conducted under the Irrigation, Restoration, and Development Project (IRDP) a joint FAO and MEW project that is financially supported by the World Bank.

IRDP aims to improve access to irrigation, strengthen the capacity of water resources management, rehabilitate irrigation schemes and carry out river bank protection and dam safety works.