The Helmand: water and dams in the countries that dispute it
The countries in the dispute over the Helmand are Afghanistan and Iran. Across Afghanistan, 29% of renewable water comes from other countries (FAO AQUASTAT, 2023); Global Dam Watch lists 2 large dams on the river and its main tributaries in these countries.
Source: WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)2023Updated 25 Oct 2026
The Helmand dispute involves Afghanistan and Iran. Afghanistan and Iran signed the Helmand River Water Treaty on 13 March 1973. The treaty gives Iran an average flow of Helmand water of 22 cubic metres per second (1973). In the treaty, Afghanistan also agreed to deliver a further 4 cubic metres per second to Iran as goodwill (1973). On 24 March 2021, Afghanistan inaugurated the Kamal Khan Dam on the Helmand.
Drafted with AI from cited sources and reviewed by the editorMap. Arrow keys move the map, plus and minus zoom, N and P step through the countries with data, Enter opens the one shown, Escape clears the selection.
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Borders show who controls an area in practice, as drawn by Natural Earth. Disputed borders are dashed. Borders shown do not imply endorsement. How we treat borders
Countries in the dispute
| Country | Water stress, 1979–2019 | Projected water stress, 2050 | Renewable water from abroad, 2023 | Dams on the river |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 3.4 | 3.6 | 29% | 2 |
| Iran | 4.7 | 4.7 | 7% | 0 |
Source: WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)baseline 1979–2019; projection 2050Updated 25 Oct 2026
Source: FAO AQUASTAT2023Updated 25 Oct 2026
Source: Global Dam WatchUpdated 25 Oct 2026
Dams in Global Dam Watch
| Kajakai | Helmand | Afghanistan | 2.7 km³ | 1952 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arghandab | Arghandab | Afghanistan | 478 million m³ | 1952 |
Source: Global Dam Watch (GRanD)Updated 25 Oct 2026