Avalanche Management in the Salang Pass: Capacity Building and Mitigation Strategies (2012)

Background

The Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE)—led by the expertise of our board member Eng. Amanullah Mommandi—provided specialized capacity-building training and technical advising on avalanche control, snow removal, and rockfall mitigation to the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) and its Salang Maintenance Staff. This initiative primarily took place during May and June of 2012 through in-person seminars in Kabul and Khenjan, alongside on-site inspections of the Salang Pass. We accomplished this by transferring established mitigation methodologies from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) directly to Afghan professionals, thereby introducing formal avalanche control measures to the region.

The Need for Standardized Avalanche Control

The Salang Pass presents significant dangers each year, particularly during the months of February and March, when avalanches frequently result in the tragic loss of lives. To address these environmental and infrastructure challenges, we have provided various professional recommendations and technical assistance to Afghan agencies to help establish safer and more economical conditions for related projects. One of our most significant contributions in this area has been the introduction and implementation of avalanche control strategies, guided extensively by the expertise of our board member, Eng. Amanullah Mommandi, who has over 30 years of hands-on experience in avalanche mitigation.

Capacity Building and Training at the Ministry of Public Works

During May and June of 2012, Eng. Mommandi traveled to Afghanistan to deliver comprehensive presentations on highway operations and avalanche control. In June 2012, he presented a total of twelve transportation-related topics at the Ministry of Public Works, four topics at the College of Engineering at Kabul University, and two specialized topics in Khenjan specifically tailored for the MPW, the Salang Maintenance Staff, and members of the Baghlan Provincial Council.

Our training at the MPW covered fifteen different operational areas focused on practical applications for the country’s highway system. We specifically emphasized topics such as rockfall mitigation along the highways, avalanche control, snow removal, rest areas, permit and port of entries, and hydrology. Through these capacity-building sessions, we successfully transferred the CDOT Avalanche Mitigation Methods directly to MPW staff. By introducing the concept of the Avalanche Mitigation process to Afghanistan, we laid the technical groundwork for the MPW, with assistance from the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), to develop and implement formal avalanche control for the first time in the country’s history.

Field Inspections and Real-World Application

Our theoretical training was supplemented by critical field inspections to assess the actual terrain. At the direct request of His Excellency, the Minister of Public Works, Mr. Najibullah Aoudjan, we participated in a one-day field trip to the Salang Tunnel. During this trip, Eng. Mommandi accompanied the Minister and other officials to inspect the highway stretching from Kabul to Khenjan. Based on this site visit, we recommended specific drainage and safety improvements for the highway infrastructure.

International Knowledge Exchange

We also facilitated international technical exchanges to further support the MPW’s understanding of snow and rockfall management. In August 2012, when Minister Aoudjan visited Colorado in the United States, we arranged for him and his delegation to tour the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel along Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountains, which shares a similar topography and climate to the Salang Pass. During this trip, our team guided the delegation through physical inspections of rockfall mitigation systems and an “Avalauncher” review, demonstrating practical, high-altitude highway maintenance strategies.