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In times of flood the hamuns join into one large lake, and once every 20 years or so the floodwaters create an overflow from the Hamun-e
Helmand by a normally dry river known as the Shela Rud, terminating in the Godzareh Depression. In 1885 there was an exceptional flood, and the floodwaters filled
218:. Water availability affects the income derived from fishing and hunting, an important source of income. The result of the drought has been the collapse of the local economy as well as destruction of the wetland's
246:, or "Burnt City", in Iran, built in 3100 B.C. near a currently dried-up branch of the Helmand River, was abandoned one thousand years later, most likely due climate changes that altered the river course.
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Since the economy of the region is based on agriculture, subsistence depends on snowmelt and rainfall in the high mountains to sustain the health of the Sistan Basin and its
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The Hamun-e Puzak lies mostly in
Afghanistan. It receives water from the Shelah Charkh channel of the Helmand River, and also from the Khash River and other small rivers.
199:. This source of water fluctuates severely over time and therefore has resulted in fundamental problems of survival for human settlements in the area. A severe
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The largest proportion of the
Helmand River's waters flow into the Hamun-e Helmand, which is entirely in Iran, by a channel known as the Rud-e Sistan.
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began at the turn of twenty-first century and as of 2005 has lasted six years with extreme consequences for the populations.
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The Hamun-e Sabari is split between
Afghanistan and Iran. It receives water from the Parian branch of Helmand River, the
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For more than 5,000 years, the Sistan Basin has been inhabited by sophisticated cultures and thus contains some key
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In recent years, particularly during a drought from 1998 to 2005, the hamuns have dried up completely.
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archaeological site. It is believed to be the capital of the ancient satrapy of Zranka/
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The region's economic survival is dependent on the wetland's products. For example,
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The lowest part of the Sistan Basin contains a series of shallow lakes, known as
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food, cooking and heating fuel, and the raw materials for structures and
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Excavations have also revealed a citadel complex, and the remains of a
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is a system of rivers flowing from the highlands of
Afghanistan into
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Freshwater Fishes of Iran: Introduction - Drainage Basins - Sistan
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402:"Restoration, Protection and Sustainable Use of the Sistan Basin"
371:"History of Environmental Change in the Sistan Basin 1976 - 2005"
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From
Wetland to Wasteland: The Destruction of the Hamoun Oasis
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cultural hubs, now covered by sand. Here, signs of historical
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Satellite image of southern
Afghanistan and Iran in dust storm
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Central
Eurasian water crisis: Caspian, Aral, and Dead Seas
253:, located further to the west, on the western side of
507:"History of Environmental Change in the Sistan Basin"
459:"Geology, Water, and Wind in the Lower Helmand Basin"
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and then to its ultimate destination: Afghanistan's
330:(or Abrashariyar) was an ancient capital of Sistan.
108:, rises beside the lakes and marshes of the basin.
422:"9: The issue of Lake Hamun and the Hirmand River"
428:. United Nations University. 1998. Archived from
122:. It appears that in the past there was a single
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309:There are other important sites in this area.
23:Map of the Sistan/Helmand River drainage basin
287:areas while elsewhere canals are filled with
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612:Landforms of Sistan and Baluchestan province
291:and agricultural fields buried by shifting
257:, is a related site from the Bronze Age.
230:based on the Helmand River's irrigation.
43:encompassing large parts of southwestern
535:Dust storm over Afghanistan and Pakistan
509:. www.envirosecurity.org. Archived from
295:. Today the area is sparsely populated.
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483:"Hamun-e-Saberi and Hamun-e-Hirmand"
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184:the depression for three years.
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637:Landforms of Kandahar Province
627:Drainage basins of Afghanistan
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632:Landforms of Nimruz Province
642:Landforms of Zabul Province
279:, are still visible in the
85:drains the basin's largest
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267:in Afghanistan were major
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592:Endorheic basins of Asia
464:. U.S. Geological Survey
222:, causing damage to the
602:Regions of Afghanistan
457:Whitney, John (2006).
93:from the mountains of
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16:Inland endorheic basin
568:29.83528°N 61.94167°E
191:Ecological importance
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273:irrigation systems
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169:Main article:
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37:Sistan Basin
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316:is a major
300:Zoroastrian
242:sites. The
234:Archaeology
224:agriculture
216:handicrafts
148:Harut River
144:Farah River
45:Afghanistan
586:Categories
559:61°56′30″E
556:29°50′07″N
517:2007-07-20
492:2023-05-16
468:2010-08-31
436:2010-08-31
407:2007-07-20
387:2007-07-20
346:Bahram III
318:Achaemenid
285:Chakhansur
255:Lut desert
124:Hamun Lake
95:Hindu Kush
61:freshwater
341:Arachosia
322:Drangiana
212:livestock
179:Hydrology
87:watershed
57:watershed
335:See also
269:medieval
210:provide
197:wetlands
146:and the
91:snowmelt
53:droughts
251:Shahdad
226:in the
201:drought
68:marshes
617:Sistan
277:canals
265:Zaranj
249:Also,
158:": -->
119:hamuns
102:basalt
81:. The
72:saline
55:. Its
462:(PDF)
381:(PDF)
374:(PDF)
352:Notes
228:delta
112:Lakes
64:lakes
293:sand
289:silt
283:and
263:and
261:Kang
160:edit
66:and
49:Iran
35:The
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100:A
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