Groundwater Recharge in the Kabul Plain (Afghanistan) Through Rainwater Harvesting

The groundwater of Kabul Plain aquifersAquifers is the main source of water for the Kabul city for drinking, and also extensively used for agricultural and industrial sectors. The exploitation of groundwater from Kabul Plain aquifersAquifers is unsustainable and the groundwater storage has significantly decreased over the last decades. Therefore, rainwater harvestingRainwater harvesting and implementing managed aquifer rechargeManaged aquifer recharge (MAR) projects are very important to reduce stress on the Kabul Plain aquifersAquifers. In this study, we evaluate the groundwater conditions in the Kabul Plain and present the current state of knowledge associated with the rainwater harvestingRainwater harvesting (RWH) in the Kabul Plain. A systematic RWH has not been adopted in any cities in Afghanistan. However, in Central Afghanistan, the farmers normally collect the rain and spring waters in traditional ponds and use the collected water for irrigation and livestock consumption. A MAR pilot project has been carried out in the Kabul Plain between 2017 and 2020. Lately, the Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW) of Afghanistan performed a pilot RWH project in the campus of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. The MEW and Municipality of Kabul encourage the Kabul residents to store rainwater in the subsurface during the rainy season. This study provides a synoptic view regarding rainwater harvestingRainwater harvesting that could be helpful for sustainable groundwater managementGroundwater management in the Kabul Plain where the people suffer from a shortage of drinking water.