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The research focused on assessing groundwater quality in Jawharkel, Ghanikhel, Chak, Mandukhel, Dawrankhel, Noorkhel, Baba Qala, Sanikhel, Muhkumkhel, and Rasheeddan villages, and specifically intended to measure groundwater physical and chemical parameters in the mountainous areas of the Chak Karstic Sedimentary Basin in Chak District, Wardak Province, located in Afghanistan’s central part. The analyzed parameters included electric conductivity, pH, turbidity, odor, taste, color, hardness, as well as chloride (Cl2), nitrogen (N), fluoride (F), iron (Fe), arsenic (Ar), ammonia (NH3), and sulfide (SO4) content. All the analyzed chemical and physical parameters were found to be within acceptable limits. The results obtained were compared with the WHO drinking water quality standards. The study revealed that the values of physical parameters such as color, taste, odor and turbidity fell within the acceptable (recommended standard) limits; that the examined samples demonstrated no toxic elements and/or components; and that the analyzed chemical parameters were likewise within the permissible limits recommended by WHO and ANSA. Water quality in the target rural area proved to be better compared to the concerns of its residents and households, and that local water posed no threat to residents’ health and survival. The article emphasizes the importance of properly applying water quality indicators previously not adequately explored in the target area.

The main aim of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of the drinking water quality in Kabul city and identify its suitability for drinking. During the work, a total of 60 water samples were collected from four drinking water sources (qanat, open well, tap water, and a hand pump) located at different points and were tested for physical, chemical, and biological parameters. Physical and chemical analyses were performed according to the standard methods, while a bacterial analysis was performed by using the Wagtech Potatest single incubator test kit and membrane filter method. The results obtained were compared with the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Afghanistan’s National Standards Administration (ANSA). The study showed that physical parameters were within acceptable limits for qanat, open well, and tap waters. However, color, taste, odor, and turbidity values exceeded the recommended limits for hand pump wells. All analyzed chemical parameters were within permissible limits recommended by WHO/ANSA. The bacteriological analysis showed total coliform and fecal coliform contamination, particularly in warm weather conditions. The bacteriological contamination reveals the mixing of the sewage water with drinking water due to expired corroded pipes and discharge of wastewater to the groundwater. Several governance recommendations are proposed for improving water quality. They include strengthening coordination between government and public, considering options to install a new water distribution and sewage collection networks, enforcing standards for adequately preventing contamination from septic tanks, and increasing public awareness on low-cost measures such as boiling the drinking water before intake.

With the development of shipping in the Caspian Sea, the need for high-quality data on wave characteristics has increased. In the present work, the analysis of maximum wave height at coastal stations in Kazakhstan was carried out using wave and wind data and numerical modeling with the SWAN model. The influence of stationary wind and its direction on the wave height was determined. The results show that the changes in the parameters of the wind wave depend on the wind speed and direction. At wind speeds below 10 m/s, the predicted wave height can reach 3 m in the Middle Caspian basin. In the Northern Caspian basin, where the depths are shallow, the waves do not exceed 2 m. The study output produced the first wind zoning map for the Kazakh part of the Caspian Sea.

In Afghanistan, spring and summertime flash floods result in 54.3% of all natural disasters with an average annual economic loss of US$92.17 million between 1990 and 2014. Knowledge of climate and rainfall periodicity are urgently needed for urban and rural land use and infrastructure planning, and their flood protection. In this study, the Thornthwaite equation was used to determine the seasonal characteristics of dry and wet periods. Spectral Analysis of precipitation was carried out to search for periodicities and intraseasonal oscillations of rainfall within the Kabul River Basin. The analysis is based on data obtained from 49 ground-base stations with three parameters (precipitation, relative humidity, and temperature) for an 8-year (2006-2013) and 5-year (2009-2013) record. Five years weather maps made from JRA-55 (55 year Japan Reanalysis data) were used to recognize the moisture trajectory in each season.The results indicated that Kabul River Basin is divided into three parts with distinct climate regions as Central, Northern, and Eastern parts. The Weather maps of relative humidity with wind arrows showed the origins and pathways of air masses leading to heavy rainfall from the Arabian Sea and the Caspian Sea approaching from the west and northwest of Afghanistan in winter and spring season, corresponding to 10-day spectral peaks. In summer and autumn, influences of South Asian summer monsoon were recognized by 6-8 days of oscillation with different density in each station, where it was much significant in the Eastern part.

Ice occurs in the Caspian Sea and its northern part influencing traffic, ports and the coastal region at large. Especially, heavy winds leading to massive ice jams considerably effect the socioeconomic use of the sea. In recent decades, the Caspian Sea is affected by reduced water inflow from the major rivers and changes in climate, but these changes are not well documented or known. To better understand ice conditions, winter regimes and climate change impact, this article analyzes the cold periods from 1980 to 2016, in the northern part of the Caspian Sea and connects ice conditions to climatic characteristics. Winters are classified using the P.I. Buharits in classification from sever to mild. The authors analysed changes in air temperature as of the main indicator of climate change, and a potential ice regime shift. The results show an annual warming of 1,1 0Cand 1,3 0Cfor the cold period since 1990. Winter severity, which is closely linked to ice thickness has clearly decreased since the cold winters in 1950’s and 1960’s. Milder winters have changed ice conditions in the northernmost part of the Caspian Sea. A detailed analysis of mild and cold winters show a clear difference in ice depth, with thickness about 58 cm and 20 cm, respectively.

The water supply to Kabul city is at serious risk due to groundwater over abstraction and severe contamination by sewage. The water overuse is partly due to poor management and a long period of war, and instability in Afghanistan. In recent years shallow wells have been installed and financed by aid programmes, but this, along with high population increase has also lead to over-use of groundwater resources. The current water supply of about 85% inhabitants depends exclusively on local, individual groundwater sources, obtained predominantly from shallow aquifers, mainly, by hand-pumps. The paper analyses the status and trends of the Kabul groundwater system and assesses new solutions to meet the future water supply demand. The status of groundwater shows that groundwater levels are declining quickly (1 m/year) and several wells are already dry. Moreover, water quality analyses of the Kabul aquifers show a negative trend in groundwater quality in respect to concentration of nitrates, borates and faecal microbes(indicated by the coliform bacteria). This pollution exceeds the maximum permissible values determined by the WHO. To provide new solutions for Kabul city, a master plan for future water resources has been developed and this is further discussed.