Profiles: River systems

Afghanistan has four clear hydrographic regions:

    Northern Amu Dariya (Oxus) basin (24 percent)
    Western Harirud and Murghab basins (12 percent)
    Southwest Helmand river systems (52 percent)
    Eastern Kabul River basin (12 percent)

Northern Amu Dariya (Oxus) basin
The Amu Dariya/Panj River forms the northern frontier of Afghanistan before turning northwards through Uzbekistan and draining into the Aral Sea. The main Amu Dariya River contributes little to Afghan agriculture but its Afghan tributaries and a number of other rivers draining northwards support a rich, irrigated agriculture along their lengths. These systems include:

The Kokcha River system and its tributaries rise in the central highlands of Badakhshan province and support two main areas of irrigated agriculture - the central Badakhshan basin in the far north east on the Baharak Plains and valleys, and the Amu Dariya Plains around the confluence of the Kokcha and Amu Dariya rivers in Takhar province.

The Kunduz River system is a complex system. It rises both in the highlands of Badakhshan and Takhar provinces and flows through Taloqan, and also in the highlands of Bamyan and Baghlan provinces and flows through Pul-i-Khumri. From here it flows to its confluence with the Amu Dariya River north of Kunduz city.

The river systems of the northern plains which disappear before reaching the Amy Dariya River. These include the Balkh, Siberghan, Maimana and Murghab systems which rise in the northern mountains. These systems are not as reliable as those of the north-east as their flow is more subject to climate variations and are all currently seriously affected by the drought.