Turkmenistan is not rich in natural reservoirs, and the largest of the rivers originate in the territories of neighboring states. This is due to some features of the natural conditions of these places.
There is a river in Turkmenistan among the few natural reservoirs, originating in Afghanistan, among the chain of mountains of Paropamiz. This is the Murghab River, about which a short story is presented in this article.
A little about the features of the formation of water resources in Turkmenistan
Like all of Central Asia, Turkmenistan is a closed geographic area isolated from large natural bodies of water: oceans and seas. In the south of the country there are not very high mountains, without eternal snows and glaciers. Of course, there is more precipitation in them than on the flat territory, but most of the moisture evaporates and absorbs into fairly soft and loose rocks. And the rest in the form of springs flows down from the slopes of the mountains and goes to the earth's surface. This is the reason that the river system in Turkmenistan is very poorly developed.
The central and western parts of the state have no rivers at all. Small rivers flow in the south, and in the east, the mighty and great Amu Darya carries part of its waters to the Aral Sea.
It should be noted that all large rivers flowing along the Turkmen territory originate outside this state. Such is the Murghab River.
Rivers and lakes of Turkmenistan
Almost all the rivers originating in Turkmenistan are very small. Arvaz, Altiyab (Chulinka), Alzhidere, Sekizyab, Kugitangdarya, Ayderinka are low-water, and they become shallow during the summer. All rivers are closed, their water is almost completely taken for irrigation of fields and gardens.
Turkmenistan is poor and lakes. The reservoirs created by nature are insignificant in volume and area. There are several larger lakes of artificial origin: Kelif lakes (the waters of the Karakum canal flow in), Sarakamysh lake (collector water is discharged).
Description of the Murghab River (Turkmenistan)
It connects two states - Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. The length of the river is 978 km, the basin area is 46.9 thousand square meters. kilometers. Originating in Afghanistan, it flows through a narrow valley located between the Safedkokh and Bundi-Turkestan ranges. In Turkmenistan, the valley expands, representing an irrigation fan. In the Karakum desert, the reservoir forms a dry delta; above the city of Mary, the river flows into the Karakum canal.
Murgab's food is mixed (snow dominates).
Geography
The Murghab River begins with central-western Afghanistan on a plateau located on the Paropamiz mountain range. The length of its river valley is narrow (less than one kilometer in width). She has steep inclines. In places, narrow gorges are noted, after which the valley gradually expands, reaching the maximum width in Turkmenistan.
Receiving water from the Kaysar River on the right, then Murghab forms the border between the two states. Also, on the territory of Turkmenistan, the waters of the Kechen River flow into Murghab from the left side, and then merges with the river. Kushka. Having reached an oasis in the area of the city of Mary, the waters of Murgab mix with the waters of the Karakum canal.
Hydrology
The turbidity of the water of the Turkmenistan Murgab river averages 4500 grams per cubic meter. meter. As noted above, the main content is due to thawed snow.
Irrigation of the sown land of the village of Tagtabazar, located 486 kilometers from the river mouth, accounts for a water flow of approximately 52 m3 / day.
Tributaries and settlements
The right tributary of the river is Abikaysor, the left - Kushka and Kashan.
The cities of Mary, Iolotan and Bayram Ali are located on Murghab. There is in the river valley the highest mountain city located on the territory of Tajikistan. This is the city of Murghab.
Finally
Today, the Murghab Valley within Turkmenistan is inhabited only in oases, where the terrain conditions make it possible to withdraw channels from the river and irrigate significant spaces.
In ancient times, in the Murgab river valley lived one of several Saks groups existing at that time - Saki-haomavarga (there are references from ancient authors and Herodotus). Saki - the collective name of the group of Iranian-speaking semi-nomadic and nomadic tribes I thousand years BC and the first centuries BC e. According to ancient sources, the name comes from the Scythian word saka, translated as "deer".