Moving Borders: Mapping and Monitoring Amu Darya River Dynamics Using Remote Sensing Data and Techniques

Assessment of water-related disaster risk is essential for risk mitigation and management for sustainable development. This problem arises with transboundary waters, adding geopolitical problems to the existing ones. For moving borders, such as the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, mapping and monitoring of the river dynamics is essential for resolving potential problems that may occur due to shifts in the river bank. In order to achieve the objectives of this study, mapping and analyzing land conversion, river channel dynamics, quantify lateral erosion and accretion in the period between 1990 - 2020, four Landsat images were used. The results of the investigation showed significant shift of the river bank, especially from north to south, causing damages over agricultural areas of the local people in Afghanistan. Also the results showed the total area of the river shift on both sides of the border. The most critical parts of the river were also detected, and it was concluded that some parts of the border moved up to 3 km inside Afghanistan. Such information can help both local and international administration in resolving problems due to unresolved water sharing policies, and can help in making geopolitical decisions beneficial for both parties.