Pashdan Dam

Pashdan Dam
Pashdan Dam
Location of Pashdan Dam in Afghanistan
CountryAfghanistan
LocationKarukh District, Herat Province
Coordinates34°24′19″N 62°25′25″E / 34.40528°N 62.42361°E / 34.40528; 62.42361
PurposeIrrigation and electricity
StatusOperational
Construction began2011
Opening dateAugust 14, 2025
Construction cost$117 million
OwnerMinistry of Energy and Water
Dam and spillways
Type of damEmbankment

The Pashdan Dam, also known as Band-e Pashdan, is located about 15 km (9.3 mi) to the northeast of Herat, Afghanistan, in the Karukh District of Herat Province. It is an embankment dam with a 70 km (43 mi) canal network. Its power station became operational in 2025. The dam is capable of producing up to 2 megawatts of electricity and provide irrigation water to over 13,000 ha (32,000 acres) of agriculture land. Its reservoir can store up to 54 million cubic meters of water.

Work on the $117 million Pashdan Dam project began by Afghanistan's Ministry of Energy and Water in 2011, during the tenure of then-Minister Ismail Khan. After the project was nearly completed, the Pashdan Dam has suddenly become a popular recreation area. It is the second-largest dam in Herat Province after the Salma Dam.