Pyanj River Morphology and Flood Protection

The Pyanj, on the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, is a dynamic river system that has caused considerable damage to life and property in both countries due to flooding and riverbank erosion. Flood management efforts have often been short-lived and expensive to maintain, and have worsened hazards in adjacent areas because of the river’s sudden shifts in channel position, rapid bank erosion, and continual meander growth. This report presents more sustainable approaches to better understand river processes and help anticipate how the river channel will respond to management efforts at the project sites and along nearby reaches.