Karun-4 Dam

(Redirected from Karun-4)

The Karun-4 Dam is an arch dam on the Karun River located 180 km southwest of Shahr-e-Kord in the province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Iran.[2] The Karun has the highest discharge of all the Iranian rivers.[3] Its construction is aimed at generating hydroelectric power supply of 2,107 million kWh annually and controlling floods in the upper Karun.

Karun-4 Dam
The dam under construction
Karun-4 Dam is located in Iran
Karun-4 Dam
Location of Karun-4 Dam in Iran
LocationChahārmahāl-o-Bakhtiyārī
Iran
Coordinates31°35′58″N 50°28′20″E / 31.59944°N 50.47222°E / 31.59944; 50.47222
StatusOperational
Construction began1997
Opening date2010
Construction cost1.2 billion dollars
Operator(s)IWPRDC
Dam and spillways
Type of damArch dam
ImpoundsKarun River
Height230 m (750 ft)
Length440 m (1,440 ft)
Spillway capacity6,150 m3/s (217,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
CreatesReservoir
Total capacity2,190,000,000 m3 (1,780,000 acre⋅ft)
Catchment area12,813.4 km2 (4,947 sq mi)
Surface area29 km2 (11 sq mi)
Power Station
Commission date2010-2011
Turbines4 x 255 MW Francis-type[1]
Installed capacity1,020 MW

The dam is a concrete double curvature arch-type and 230 metres (750 ft) high from the foundation.[2] The arch dam design is an ideal one for a dam built in a narrow, rocky gorge to hold back water in a reservoir. The dam is curved. Because of the arch shape, the force of the backed up water presses downward against the dam and has the effect of strengthening the dam foundation. The dam withholds a reservoir with a surface area of 29 square kilometres (11 sq mi) and capacity of 2.19 cubic kilometres (1,780,000 acre⋅ft).[4] The dam's first study was conducted in 1995 and river diversion began in 1997. Concrete pouring began in 2006 and the power plant began producing electricity in November 2010.[5][6] On December 11, 2010, the second generator for the dam became operational and was connected to the grid. The dam will eventually have an installed capacity of 1,020 MW.[7] The dam was inaugurated on 6 July 2011 by Iranian President Mahmood Ahmadinejad.[8]

Objectives

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It was built to fulfill the followings:

  • To produce an average annual hydropower energy as much as 2100 GW-h.
  • To join the cascade dams on the Karun River, hence regulate the flow in order to supply the water required by the industry and agriculture downstream.
  • To control the destructive floods of the Karun River.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Hydroelectric Power Plants in Iran". IndustCards. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "Basic information". Archived from the original on 2008-06-28. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
  3. ^ "Dam history". Archived from the original on 2008-07-06. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
  4. ^ "Dam basics". PBS. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
  5. ^ "Political". Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
  6. ^ "News - Dr. Ahmadinejad: I appreciate the efforts". Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
  7. ^ "News: Second Unit of Karun 4 Joins Iran's National Network". IPWCO. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  8. ^ "News: Self-sufficiency in Dam construction; Karun4 Dam Inaugurated". Iran Water and Power Resources Development Co. Retrieved 3 September 2011.