GIS-Based Assessment of Groundwater Depletion from Mechanical Extraction and Climate Change in Dasht-e-Barchi, Kabul

Fazalhaq Hassanzay; Hematullah Shirzai; Abdullah Sharifi

doi:10.62810/jnsr.v4i2.408

Authors

Fazalhaq Hassanzay Kabul University, Hydrometeorology Department, Geosciences Faculty, Kabul, Afghanistan
Hematullah Shirzai Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NRC),Climate Change Officer, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Abdullah Sharifi Climate Change and DRR Officer, World Bank Group (WBG), Kabul, Afghanistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62810/jnsr.v4i2.408

Keywords:

Climate variability, Groundwater depletion, Geographic information system, Mechanical water extraction, Urban groundwater management

Abstract

Groundwater is the primary source of water for domestic use and urban agriculture in Kabul, Afghanistan, yet it is increasingly threatened by intensive mechanical extraction and climate variability. In rapidly urbanizing areas such as Dasht-e-Barchi, groundwater decline has accelerated in recent years, while detailed spatial assessments of this process remain limited. This study aims to evaluate changes in groundwater levels over time and to examine the combined influence of mechanical water extraction and climate variability on groundwater resources in Dasht-e-Barchi. Groundwater level data from monitoring wells for 2008 and 2022 were analyzed using GIS techniques. Inverse distance weighting interpolation was applied to generate spatial groundwater depth maps, allowing comparison of temporal changes across the study area. Field surveys and questionnaire data were used to support spatial analysis and identify the dominant drivers of groundwater extraction. The results indicate a substantial decline in groundwater levels over the study period, with maximum depths increasing from approximately 45 meters to more than 95 meters in several locations. Areas with intensive greenhouse cultivation and widespread use of pumping technologies experienced the most pronounced declines. These findings suggest that unregulated mechanical extraction, combined with reduced recharge associated with climate variability, has significantly contributed to groundwater depletion. The study highlights the need for improved groundwater monitoring, regulation of extraction practices, and integration of spatial analysis into water resource management to support long-term sustainability in urban and peri-urban areas of Kabul.

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Author Biography

Fazalhaq Hassanzay, Kabul University, Hydrometeorology Department, Geosciences Faculty, Kabul, Afghanistan

I'm working as an Assistant. Prof. lecutuer at Hydrometeorology department of Geoscience Faculty of Kabul University.

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