Transboundary hydropolitical conflicts and their impact on river morphology and environmental degradation in the Hirmand Basin, West Asia
Abstract The Hirmand Transboundary River Basin (HTRB), shared by Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, is a hydrologically critical and politically sensitive region. This basin sustains livelihoods, ecosystems, and agriculture in a region plagued by climatic variability and geopolitical tensions. The Hir...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84501-1 |
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| author | Atefe Arfa Seyed Ali Ayyoubzadeh Hossein Shafizadeh-Moghadam Hojjat Mianabadi |
| author_facet | Atefe Arfa Seyed Ali Ayyoubzadeh Hossein Shafizadeh-Moghadam Hojjat Mianabadi |
| author_sort | Atefe Arfa |
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| description | Abstract The Hirmand Transboundary River Basin (HTRB), shared by Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, is a hydrologically critical and politically sensitive region. This basin sustains livelihoods, ecosystems, and agriculture in a region plagued by climatic variability and geopolitical tensions. The Hirmand River, which forms the heart of this basin, faces severe morphological and discharge changes due to upstream water management, climatic shifts, and land use changes, directly impacting downstream ecosystems and human populations. This study examines the morphological changes in the Hirmand River and disentangles natural and human-induced drivers behind these shifts. Using the TWINS framework, the study assesses cooperation and conflict in hydropolitical relations, alongside the environmental repercussions of upstream activities on downstream ecosystems. Landsat imagery analysis (1987–2022) via Google Earth Engine reveals significant morphological changes, with 43% of river arcs shifting by 500–1200 m and an annual width reduction of three meters, even during wet periods. Further, prolonged droughts and upstream water diversions have desiccated the Hamoun Lake, obliterating ecosystems, displacing residents, and transforming exposed lakebeds into major dust sources. The TWINS analysis highlights hydropolitical dynamics as the predominant driver of these changes, outweighing climatic influences, and underscores the need for cooperative frameworks to address escalating environmental and social challenges in the basin. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ecd18d5db54c4fc78fd0ecd954f67ea4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-ecd18d5db54c4fc78fd0ecd954f67ea42025-01-26T12:26:51ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111710.1038/s41598-024-84501-1Transboundary hydropolitical conflicts and their impact on river morphology and environmental degradation in the Hirmand Basin, West AsiaAtefe Arfa0Seyed Ali Ayyoubzadeh1Hossein Shafizadeh-Moghadam2Hojjat Mianabadi3Department of Water Engineering and Management, Tarbiat Modares UniversityDepartment of Water Engineering and Management, Tarbiat Modares UniversityDepartment of Water Engineering and Management, Tarbiat Modares UniversityDepartment of Water Engineering and Management, Tarbiat Modares UniversityAbstract The Hirmand Transboundary River Basin (HTRB), shared by Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, is a hydrologically critical and politically sensitive region. This basin sustains livelihoods, ecosystems, and agriculture in a region plagued by climatic variability and geopolitical tensions. The Hirmand River, which forms the heart of this basin, faces severe morphological and discharge changes due to upstream water management, climatic shifts, and land use changes, directly impacting downstream ecosystems and human populations. This study examines the morphological changes in the Hirmand River and disentangles natural and human-induced drivers behind these shifts. Using the TWINS framework, the study assesses cooperation and conflict in hydropolitical relations, alongside the environmental repercussions of upstream activities on downstream ecosystems. Landsat imagery analysis (1987–2022) via Google Earth Engine reveals significant morphological changes, with 43% of river arcs shifting by 500–1200 m and an annual width reduction of three meters, even during wet periods. Further, prolonged droughts and upstream water diversions have desiccated the Hamoun Lake, obliterating ecosystems, displacing residents, and transforming exposed lakebeds into major dust sources. The TWINS analysis highlights hydropolitical dynamics as the predominant driver of these changes, outweighing climatic influences, and underscores the need for cooperative frameworks to address escalating environmental and social challenges in the basin.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84501-1River morphologyHydroconflictsHydrodiplomacyLand use change |
| spellingShingle | Atefe Arfa Seyed Ali Ayyoubzadeh Hossein Shafizadeh-Moghadam Hojjat Mianabadi Transboundary hydropolitical conflicts and their impact on river morphology and environmental degradation in the Hirmand Basin, West Asia Scientific Reports River morphology Hydroconflicts Hydrodiplomacy Land use change |
| title | Transboundary hydropolitical conflicts and their impact on river morphology and environmental degradation in the Hirmand Basin, West Asia |
| title_full | Transboundary hydropolitical conflicts and their impact on river morphology and environmental degradation in the Hirmand Basin, West Asia |
| title_fullStr | Transboundary hydropolitical conflicts and their impact on river morphology and environmental degradation in the Hirmand Basin, West Asia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transboundary hydropolitical conflicts and their impact on river morphology and environmental degradation in the Hirmand Basin, West Asia |
| title_short | Transboundary hydropolitical conflicts and their impact on river morphology and environmental degradation in the Hirmand Basin, West Asia |
| title_sort | transboundary hydropolitical conflicts and their impact on river morphology and environmental degradation in the hirmand basin west asia |
| topic | River morphology Hydroconflicts Hydrodiplomacy Land use change |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84501-1 |
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