Salma Dam’s turbines activated following recent rainfall

Recent rain across a large part of Afghanistan has helped increase the level of Salma Dam in Herat province, enabling authorities to activate all three power-generating turbines.

According to local officials, 80 cubic meters of water is flowing through the floodgates per second since last week’s rain.

Officials said that not only is the water being used to generate electricity but it is also being distributed to farmers for irrigation purposes.

However, the dam level is lower than this time last year due to drought, officials said.

“Currently, three power-generating turbines are active; the situation is normal and the water has been released for electricity generation and for farmers in eight districts, and there are no problems,” said Barakatullah Rahimi, the technical manager of Salma Dam.

“Every second, about 80 cubic meters of water comes out of the dam, of which 50 cubic meters is for power generating turbines and the rest is for irrigating the agricultural lands of eight districts,” said Sardar Wali Muzmal, head of the Herat River Basin.

The director of Herat’s department of agriculture, Peer Mohammad Halimi, said: “Water is distributed to eight districts of Herat through Salma Dam and we are trying to send it to other districts, so the farmers are happy.”

One farmer in the area, Halim Shah Rashidi, said the water has been released just in time for them to plant whet. “We are happy that the Salma Dam water has been released in time,” he said.