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Helmand River
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Helmand River (pronounced: hĕl`mənd) (also Helmend, Helmund, Hirmand or Tarnak, Persian: Darya-ye Helmand, Latin: Erymandrus) is the longest river in Afghanistan and the primarily watershed for the endorheic Sistan Basin.[1] The Helmand river stretches 1,150 km (715 miles) from the Hindu Kush mountains about 80 km (50 miles) west of Kabul, crosses south-west through the desert, to the Seistan marshes and the Hamun-i-Helmand lake region around Zabol at the Afghan-Iranian border.
The river remains relatively salt-free for much of its length, unlike most rivers with no outlet to the sea. This river is used extensively for irrigation, although a buildup of mineral salts has decreased its usefulness in watering crops. Its waters are essential for farmers in Afghanistan, but it feeds into Lake Hamun and is also important to farmers in Iran's southeastern Sistan and Baluchistan province.
A number of hydroelectric dams have created artificial reservoirs on some of the Afghanistan’s rivers including the Kajakai reservoir on the Helmand River. The chief tributary of the Helmand river is the Arghandab river which also has a major dam near the city of Kandahar.
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Helmand River have long been the source of Civilization. Many artifacts and unstudied archaeological sites have been found along its boundaries. The boundaries of Helmand has been known as kingom of Sakastan, Median source of (Bishtun) mentions Sakastian (Land of Aryan Saka tribe), and also referred as major river of Rig veda. This river also marks the original homeland of Rostam or Rustam, an epic Afghan hero of Shahnameh.
- Frye, Richard N. (1963). The Heritage of Persia. World Publishing company, Cleveland, Ohio. Mentor Book edition, 1966.
- Toynbee, Arnold J. (1961). Between Oxus and Jumna. London. Oxford University Press.
- Vogelsang, W. (1985). "Early historical Arachosia in South-east Afghanistan; Meeting-place between East and West." Iranica antiqua, 20 (1985), pp. 55-99.