The Chak Dam (Pashto: چک برېښناکوټ), referred to by some as Band-e Chak (meaning Dam of Chak in Dari), is located near Chak, which is the center of Chak District in Maidan Wardak Province of Afghanistan. It is a hydroelectric gravity dam built by German engineers in 1938.[1][2] It was mainly designed to regulate the flow of the Chak River and provide electricity to Kabul.

Chak Dam
Chak Dam is located in Afghanistan
Chak Dam
Location of Chak Dam in Afghanistan
CountryAfghanistan
LocationChak, Chak District, Maidan Wardak Province, Afghanistan
Coordinates34°06′24″N 68°34′42″E / 34.106728°N 68.578339°E / 34.106728; 68.578339
PurposeIrrigation and electricity
StatusOperational
Opening date1938
Owner(s)Ministry of Energy and Water
Dam and spillways
Type of damGravity
ImpoundsChak River

History

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Wardak province used to have a significant energy-generating capacity with the Chak Dam. Its four turbines could provide electricity to Maidan Wardak and parts of Kabul, Logar and Ghazni provinces.[3]

In May 2005 the Chak Dam nearly overflowed as its main and emergency floodgates were rusted shut after six years of dry weather. The UN Development Programme, the Afghanistan Emergency Trust Fund, and the Ministry of Energy and Water took emergency action to address the threat. The co-operative effort saw a rapid response through immediate financing, planning and implementation of a 16 m (52 ft) ancillary gate that could hold the water while the rusted gates were lifted and repaired.[4] The repairs were successful at a reported cost of $18,000 allowing evacuated residents to return to their homes in the valley.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Govt asked to fulfill promises about Chak dam's restoration". Pajhwok Afghan News. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  2. ^ http://www.shovic.com/henryshovic/AssetsGeography/Documents/Afghanistan/AfghanistanWardakDistrictChakDamSedimentAnalysis031412.pdf Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-18. Retrieved 2012-02-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ staff (2005-05-04). "Afghanistan's Melting Snows Kill 14, Displace Thousands". Ens-newswire.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
  5. ^ "Afghanistan: UNDP assists in flood prevention at Chak-e Wardak Dam". ReliefWeb. 30 April 2005. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
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