Heavy Rains Cause Major Dam to Overflow in Kurdistan Region's Duhok
Khans Dam, the second-largest in Duhok province, has overflowed after 24 millimeters of rainfall, boosting water reserves vital for agriculture, livestock, tourism, and groundwater in the Shekhan district.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - After days of heavy rain and snowfall across the Kurdistan Region, Khans Dam, the second-largest dam in Duhok province, has overflowed, marking a significant rise in water levels driven by recent weather conditions.
According to records from the Kurdistan Region’s General Directorate of Meteorology and Seismology, 24 millimeters of rainfall were recorded over the past 24 hours. The precipitation pushed Khans Dam beyond its storage threshold, resulting in overflow.
Khans Dam was implemented under the ninth cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government, with construction beginning in 2021 and completion in 2022. The dam has a storage capacity of seven million cubic meters of water and holds strategic importance for multiple sectors, including agriculture, livestock resources, tourism, and groundwater replenishment.
The dam is an earthen structure located within the boundaries of the Shekhan district in Duhok province. It stands at a height of 34.5 meters and stretches 195 meters in length. Its outlet system consists of two steel pipes measuring 90 and 50 centimeters in diameter.
According to documents issued by the Media and Information Directorate, the total cost of Khans Dam reached nine billion, 218 million, 486 thousand, and 750 Iraqi dinars. From an agricultural perspective, more than twelve villages lie along the dam’s irrigation network and directly benefit from its water resources.
In addition to its agricultural role, one of the dam’s stated objectives is to support and enhance the tourism sector within the Shekhan district and across Duhok province.
The overflow of Khans Dam comes amid a broader pattern of dams reaching full capacity during the current rainy season. In Erbil province’s Koya district, Smaquli Dam — the largest dam in the district — has also reached its maximum capacity and overflowed following heavy rainfall. Built in 2017, Smaquli Dam has a storage capacity of eight million cubic meters of water.
According to the Kurdistan Region’s General Directorate of Meteorology and Seismology, Koya district recorded 29 millimeters of rainfall over a 24-hour period, bringing seasonal totals to around 330 millimeters, compared to less than 200 millimeters during the previous year. Officials and residents say improved weather conditions have positively affected agriculture and tourism after a period of low rainfall and declining reservoir levels.
With Khans Dam now overflowing, the surge in water reserves underscores the impact of this season’s rain and snow, offering renewed support for agriculture, rural livelihoods, and tourism across Duhok province.