131
is full or almost full, the cool water underfl ow
enters the intakes to penstocks, passes through
the turbines and is discharged downstream. This
results in the presence of cool water some distance below the dam. Water temperature measured 800 m downstream never exceeded 20.5 °C
on the average, with the range of water temperature throughout the year being 6.5–18.5 °C.
Further, the reservoir has an oligotrophic to
mesotrophic character, with mean electric conductivity of 140 μmhos cm
−1 and total dissolved
solids 70.7 mg l
−1 . Chemical composition of
water (mean values for the summer period) is as
follows: Ca 19.6 mg l
−l , Mg 3.6 mg l
−l , Na
3.0 mg l
−l
, K 1.6 mg l
−1
, HCO 3 68.9 mg l
−1
, Cl
6.0 mg l
−1
, SO 4 4.8 mg l
−1 , SiO 2 1.35 mg l
−1
, PO 4
nil, NO 3 0.2 mg l
−1 (Petr 1985).
Prior to impoundment, a survey of the Indus
River and its tributaries around Tarbela recorded
35 fi sh species (Ali et al. 1980), most of which
were not popular as food fi sh. The exceptions
were mahseer ( Tor mosal and Tor putitora ),
Schizothorax spp. and Labeo dyocheilus which
were common, but not popular . Due to the permanent deep submergence of many natural
breeding sites of mahseer in Tarbela Reservoir
since its formation in 1974, their recruitment had
drastically declined.
6.9.2.5 High Altitude Lentic Bodies
of Afghanistan
Little information is available on the current status of the HA lakes and the fi sh stocks and fi sheries in them in Afghanistan. Coad (1981)
mentioned that coldwater fi sh stocks in the upper
Kabul River basin are dominated by a variety of
the cyprinid snow trout (Schizothoracini) and
cobitids.
Qargha Reservoir has targeted production of c
10 t per year. Only 6 t were achieved in the project, assisted by the UNDP/FAO, which had to be
abandoned because of disturbances in 1990.
Even less is known about warm water fi sh
production. In the past, production from the fi sh
farm at Darunta and in the adjacent Darunta
Reservoir (150 km east of Kabul) reached 30 t (in
1973). In 1992, Darunta Dam was seriously damaged in the war.
The total fi sh production in Afghanistan was
estimated to be 1,300 t in 1995, but no concrete
recent statistical data is, perhaps, available for the
country.
Afghanistan has an average elevation of
1,300 m MSL. The climate varies sharply
between highlands and lowlands. It is subpolar in
the mountainous northeast with dry, cold winters,
with temperatures falling to −26 °C or lower in
the Hindu Kush range. South of the highlands lies
an arid, virtually uninhabited southwestern plateau. There are three great river basins: (a) the
Amu Darya (Oxus), which forms the boundary
with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in
the north; (b) the Kabul in the northeast, which
enters Pakistan in the east where it has a confl uence with the Indus; and (c) the Helmand in the
southwest, which ends in Iran in a desert lake
immediately after crossing the border in the
southwest. The source of surface water in all
rivers is precipitation and snowmelt.
Coad (1981) had briefl y reviewed the hydrography of the region while discussing the checklist
of fi shes of Afghanistan.
There are few freshwater lakes in
Afghanistan, the largest being those of Sistan
which lie mostly in Iran but are hydrographically part of Afghanistan. The Helmand River
has its source not far away from the source of
the Kabul River. It fl ows southwest for about
1,300 km before it empties into the Sistan
lakes. Some of the major perennial rivers are
the Amu Darya, Qonduz (=Kunduz), Kowcheh
(=Kokcha), Band-e Amir, Kabul, Lowgar
(=Logar), Panjsher, Laghman, Konar (=Kunar),
Sorkh Ab, Helmand, Arghandab, Hari Rud and
Morghab (=Murgab). Out of these, the Amu
Darya River has its sources in the Pamirs, and
it ends in the Aral Sea.
6.9.2.6 High Altitude Lentic Bodies
of Kazakhstan
The HA lakes of Kazakhstan are generally
located in the Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountain ranges of Central Asia. The environment is
generally cold to very cold. The waterbodies are
generally less prone to erosion and siltation
unlike in the tropical belts.
6.9 High Altitude (HA) Lentic Bodies
is full or almost full, the cool water underfl ow
enters the intakes to penstocks, passes through
the turbines and is discharged downstream. This
results in the presence of cool water some distance below the dam. Water temperature measured 800 m downstream never exceeded 20.5 °C
on the average, with the range of water temperature throughout the year being 6.5–18.5 °C.
Further, the reservoir has an oligotrophic to
mesotrophic character, with mean electric conductivity of 140 μmhos cm
−1 and total dissolved
solids 70.7 mg l
−1 . Chemical composition of
water (mean values for the summer period) is as
follows: Ca 19.6 mg l
−l , Mg 3.6 mg l
−l , Na
3.0 mg l
−l
, K 1.6 mg l
−1
, HCO 3 68.9 mg l
−1
, Cl
6.0 mg l
−1
, SO 4 4.8 mg l
−1 , SiO 2 1.35 mg l
−1
, PO 4
nil, NO 3 0.2 mg l
−1 (Petr 1985).
Prior to impoundment, a survey of the Indus
River and its tributaries around Tarbela recorded
35 fi sh species (Ali et al. 1980), most of which
were not popular as food fi sh. The exceptions
were mahseer ( Tor mosal and Tor putitora ),
Schizothorax spp. and Labeo dyocheilus which
were common, but not popular . Due to the permanent deep submergence of many natural
breeding sites of mahseer in Tarbela Reservoir
since its formation in 1974, their recruitment had
drastically declined.
6.9.2.5 High Altitude Lentic Bodies
of Afghanistan
Little information is available on the current status of the HA lakes and the fi sh stocks and fi sheries in them in Afghanistan. Coad (1981)
mentioned that coldwater fi sh stocks in the upper
Kabul River basin are dominated by a variety of
the cyprinid snow trout (Schizothoracini) and
cobitids.
Qargha Reservoir has targeted production of c
10 t per year. Only 6 t were achieved in the project, assisted by the UNDP/FAO, which had to be
abandoned because of disturbances in 1990.
Even less is known about warm water fi sh
production. In the past, production from the fi sh
farm at Darunta and in the adjacent Darunta
Reservoir (150 km east of Kabul) reached 30 t (in
1973). In 1992, Darunta Dam was seriously damaged in the war.
The total fi sh production in Afghanistan was
estimated to be 1,300 t in 1995, but no concrete
recent statistical data is, perhaps, available for the
country.
Afghanistan has an average elevation of
1,300 m MSL. The climate varies sharply
between highlands and lowlands. It is subpolar in
the mountainous northeast with dry, cold winters,
with temperatures falling to −26 °C or lower in
the Hindu Kush range. South of the highlands lies
an arid, virtually uninhabited southwestern plateau. There are three great river basins: (a) the
Amu Darya (Oxus), which forms the boundary
with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in
the north; (b) the Kabul in the northeast, which
enters Pakistan in the east where it has a confl uence with the Indus; and (c) the Helmand in the
southwest, which ends in Iran in a desert lake
immediately after crossing the border in the
southwest. The source of surface water in all
rivers is precipitation and snowmelt.
Coad (1981) had briefl y reviewed the hydrography of the region while discussing the checklist
of fi shes of Afghanistan.
There are few freshwater lakes in
Afghanistan, the largest being those of Sistan
which lie mostly in Iran but are hydrographically part of Afghanistan. The Helmand River
has its source not far away from the source of
the Kabul River. It fl ows southwest for about
1,300 km before it empties into the Sistan
lakes. Some of the major perennial rivers are
the Amu Darya, Qonduz (=Kunduz), Kowcheh
(=Kokcha), Band-e Amir, Kabul, Lowgar
(=Logar), Panjsher, Laghman, Konar (=Kunar),
Sorkh Ab, Helmand, Arghandab, Hari Rud and
Morghab (=Murgab). Out of these, the Amu
Darya River has its sources in the Pamirs, and
it ends in the Aral Sea.
6.9.2.6 High Altitude Lentic Bodies
of Kazakhstan
The HA lakes of Kazakhstan are generally
located in the Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountain ranges of Central Asia. The environment is
generally cold to very cold. The waterbodies are
generally less prone to erosion and siltation
unlike in the tropical belts.
6.9 High Altitude (HA) Lentic Bodies