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Swat River
River in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Swat River (Urdu: دریائے سوات, Pashto: سوات سیند) is a perennial river in the northern region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. The river's source is in the high glacial valleys of the Hindu Kush mountains, where it then flows into the Kalam Valley before forming the spine of the wider Swat Valley.
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Name
The word Swat comes from the Sanskrit name Suvāstu which may[ambiguous] mean "clear blue water."[1] Another theory derives the word Swat from the Sanskrit word shveta (lit. 'white'), also used to describe the clear water of the Swat River.[2] To the ancient Greeks, the river was known as the Soastus.[3][4][5][2] The Chinese pilgrim Faxian referred to Swat as the Su-ho-to.[6]
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Course
The Swat's source lies in the Hindu Kush mountains, from where it is fed by glacial waters throughout the year. From the high valleys of Swat Kohistan, the river begins at the confluence of the Usho, and Gabral rivers (also known as the Utrar River) at Kalam. From the confluence, the Swat river flows through the narrow gorges of the Kalam Valley until the city of Madyan. From there, the river courses gently for 160 km (99 mi) through the plain areas of the lower Swat Valley until Chakdara. In the extreme southern end of the Swat valley, the river enters a narrow gorge and joins the Panjkora River, at Qalangi before entering the Peshawar Valley. It finally terminates in Kabul River, near Charsadda.
Discharge
The average discharge at Munda is 280 cubic metres (9,900 cu ft) per second.[7]
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Demographics
Ethnic groups
The main ethnic group live in near by areas of swat river is Gujjar, they own land in eastern sides on the river. Land in the areas was disputed before between the Pashtun Khans and Gujjar walis of the Swat princely state.[8]
Economic impact
Swat River plays an important role in the economy of the valley. Lower reaches of the Swat and Malakand Valley are irrigated by a series of canals regulated by the Amandara Headworks - built by the British in 1903.[9]
The Upper Swat Canal flows under the Malakand Pass through Benton Tunnel, completed in 1914. Below Dargai, the Munda Headworks, built by the British in 1921,[10] feed canals that supply numerous smaller canals in the districts of Charsadda, Swabi and Mardan in the Peshawar Valley. The river also recharges water wells and springs through seepage.
Hydropower
Swat's waters are used for hydropower generation at the Jabban Hydropower Plant (completed in 1938), and Dargai Hydropower Plant (completed in 1952). The Mohmand Dam, at the lower end of the Swat River's course before it enters into the Peshawar valley, has an installed generation capacity of 740 MW and is under construction.[11] Proposed hydropower projects along the river's course are Asrit Kedam HPP,[12] Gabral HPP[13] and Matiltan HPP.[14]
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Unregulated River Mining
Unregulated sand and gravel mining has severely degraded the Swat River in Pakistan, transforming its natural course and increasing its deadliness, particularly during floods.[15] Excessive extraction creates deep pits and alters the riverbed, leading to accelerated bank erosion and the destruction of vital aquatic habitats, impacting fish species like trout.[15] The disturbed sediment also pollutes the water, affecting both aquatic ecosystems and human communities reliant on the river for drinking and irrigation. This environmental degradation exacerbates flood risk, as the altered river morphology becomes less capable of safely accommodating high water flows, leading to increased damage to infrastructure and loss of life. Despite bans and legal action, illegal mining persists, highlighting significant governance and enforcement challenges.[15]
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Gallery
Upper reaches of the Swat River in the Kalam Valley
The town of Bahrain, built along the river
Lower reaches of the Swat River valley
The Amluk-Dara stupa, one of many ancient Buddhist sites scattered throughout the river's valley
See also
References
External links
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