KRG Ninth Cabinet releases water conservation project data

Kurdistan 24 2023/07/10 08:24

Low water levels caused by drought have uncovered portions of an old village at the Kurdistan Region's Duhok Dam, Sept. 12, 2021. (Photo: Kurmanj Nhili/Kurdistan 24)

Kurdistan KRG Ninth cabinet Masrour Barzani

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) — The Ninth Cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has taken measures to combat climate change and water shortages.

These measures include the construction of many ponds and dams throughout the Kurdistan Region.

The Cabinet approved the construction of 41 ponds, of which 23 ponds were approved in the first phase and 14 ponds in the second phase. Four more ponds have been approved in the third phase.

The main purposes of building these are to protect water resources, collect water for the agriculture and tourism sectors, support farmers, provide job opportunities, prevent flash floods, and increase groundwater.

Throughout the Ninth Cabinet, $20.1 million dollars have been allocated for building ponds. Of these, $17.1 million dollars are currently under implementation. $1.66 million dollars have been spent on the completion of building several ponds, and $1.22 million dollars were spent on renovating some of the ponds.

Meanwhile, a proposal has been prepared to build 23 ponds throughout the Kurdistan Region, which will be built on 2,139 acres and absorb 4.49 million cubic meters of water. Construction costs are estimated to be $10.8 million.

With regard to the cost of construction, the Cabinet is working to reduce these by 55%.

Earlier, 118 ponds were built in the Kurdistan Region on an area of 479,364 acres with a capacity of 22.61 million cubic meters of water. The costs associated with construction reached $22.03 million.

The Ninth Cabinet has also allocated $4.11 million dollars for irrigation and flood control projects.

Dam building has allocated more than $185.4 million dollars. The projects are estimated to cost about $149.5 million dollars.

More than $3.81 million dollars have been allocated for the Turajar Dam, $3.05 million dollars for the Chamirga Dam, $29 million dollars for the Dewana Dam and $6.87 million dollars for the Khans Dam.

According to the figures released by the KRG Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, design and research preparations for building the 41 dams have been completed.

Ten dams with a total capacity of 243 million cubic meters of water are under construction. The largest is Goma Span Dam in Shaqlawa with a capacity of 71.48 million cubic meters of water.