Editing Geography of Tajikistan (section)

===Drainage===
In Tajikistan's dense river network, the largest rivers are the Syr Darya and the [[Amu Darya]]; the largest tributaries are the [[Vakhsh River|Vakhsh]] and the [[Kofarnihon River|Kofarnihon]], which form valleys from northeast to southwest across western Tajikistan. The Amu Darya carries more water than any other river in Central Asia. The upper course of the Amu Darya, called the [[Panj River]], is {{convert|921|km|mi}} long. The river's name changes at the confluence of the [[Panj River|Panj]], the Vakhsh, and the Kofarnihon rivers in far southwestern Tajikistan. The Vakhsh, called the [[Kyzyl-Suu River|Kyzyl-Suu]] (''"red water"'' in Turkic languages) upstream in Kyrgyzstan and the [[Vakhsh River|Surkhob]] in its middle course in north-central Tajikistan, is the second largest river in southern Tajikistan after the Amu-Panj system. In the Soviet era, the Vakhsh was dammed at several points for irrigation and electric power generation, most notably at [[Norak]] (Nurek), east of Dushanbe, where one of the world's highest dams forms the [[Nurek Dam|Nurek Reservoir]]. Numerous factories also were built along the Vakhsh to draw upon its waters and potential for electric power generation.<ref name="topography"/> Due to the uneven distribution of water throughout [[Central Asia]], the Soviets created a system in which [[Kyrgyzstan]] and [[Tajikistan]] provided water to [[Kazakhstan]], [[Turkmenistan]], and [[Uzbekistan]] in summer, and these three countries provided oil and gas to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan during winter. After the collapse of the [[USSR]] in 1991, this system fell apart and a new resource-sharing plan has yet to be put in place. According to research conducted by the [[International Crisis Group]], this is due to corruption and lack of political will; failure to solve this issue could lead to irreversible regional destabilization.<ref>International Crisis Group. "[http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/europe/central-asia/233-water-pressures-in-central-asia.pdf Water Pressures in Central Asia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520103226/http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/europe/central-asia/233-water-pressures-in-central-asia.pdf |date=2016-05-20 }}", [http://www.crisisgroup.org CrisisGroup.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603105331/https://www.crisisgroup.org/ |date=2020-06-03 }}. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2014.</ref>

The two most important rivers in northern Tajikistan are the Syr Darya and the [[Zeravshan]] (Zarafshan). The former, the second longest river in Central Asia with a total length of {{convert|2400|km|mi}}, stretches {{convert|195|km|mi}} across the Fergana Valley in far-northern Tajikistan. The Zeravshan River, with a total length of {{convert|781|km|mi}}, runs for {{convert|316|km|mi}} through the north-center of Tajikistan. Tajikistan's rivers reach high-water levels twice a year: in the spring, fed by the rainy season and melting mountain snow, and in the summer, fed by melting glaciers. The summer freshets are the more useful for irrigation, especially in the Fergana Valley and the valleys of southeastern Tajikistan. Most of Tajikistan's lakes are of glacial origin and are located in the [[Pamir Mountains|Pamir]] region in the eastern half of the country. The largest, the [[Karakul (Tajikistan)|Karakul]] (Qarokul) Lake, is a salt lake devoid of life, lying at an elevation of {{convert|4200|m|ft}}.<ref name="topography"/> Tajikistan's second largest water body is the [[Kayrakum Lake|Kayrakum Reservoir]], a {{convert|44|km|mi|abbr=on}} long [[artificial lake]] in the heart of the [[Fergana Valley]], not far from the city of [[Khujand]] in [[Sughd Province]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.cawater-info.net/analysis/water/kayrakum.htm| title = Kayrakum Reservoir| access-date = 2008-08-14| archive-date = 2008-08-28| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080828234842/http://www.cawater-info.net/analysis/water/kayrakum.htm| url-status = live}}</ref> The lake is fed by the [[Syr Darya]]. Another well-known natural lake of glacial origin is [[Iskanderkul]]. It is smaller than the Kayrakum Reservoir and lies in the [[Fann Mountains]] in western Tajikistan.