Heavy Rains Raise Dokan Dam Water Levels as Erbil Water Authority Clarifies Pond Damage
Heavy rains raised Dokan Dam water levels by 21 meters since the start of 2026, while Erbil authorities confirmed partial damage to Daratu pond but no danger to its main structure.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - A wave of heavy rainfall sweeping across the Kurdistan Region has driven a sharp rise in water levels, prompting official statements on dam capacity and infrastructure safety as authorities monitor the situation closely.
Since the beginning of the year, water levels at Dokan Dam in Sulaimani province have increased by 21 meters, according to Kochar Jamal, director of the dam. He told Kurdistan24 on Friday, March 27, 2026, that rainfall in the current week alone raised the water level by five meters.
Jamal stated: “There is no strong expectation for overflow or full capacity at the dam, as approximately 13 meters remain before it reaches maximum level.”
Available data indicates that the stored water at Dokan Dam has reached nearly 60 percent of its capacity. Out of a total storage capacity of 7.2 billion cubic meters, more than 3.5 billion cubic meters of water are currently stored.
The ongoing rainfall began on March 20, coinciding with the first day of Ramadan, and is expected to continue intermittently through the middle of next week, according to meteorological forecasts, with light to moderate rainfall expected.
A report from the Kurdistan Region’s General Directorate of Meteorology and Seismology noted rainfall levels recorded over the past 24 hours, from 9 a.m. on March 26 to 9 a.m. on March 27, 2026, across different areas of the Region.
Dokan Dam, located within Sulaimani province, was constructed between 1954 and 1959 on the Lesser Zab River. Its primary water source originates from eastern Kurdistan.
Historically, the dam has reached full capacity and overflowed twice, first in 1988 and again on April 2, 2019, when water spilled over the spillway at a raise exceeding 22 meters.
In a separate development, the Erbil Water Directorate issued a clarification regarding damage to Daratu pond following recent heavy rainfall.
On Friday, March 27, 2026, the directorate announced that part of the pond structure had collapsed due to intense rainfall but confirmed that the main body of the pond remains intact and poses no danger.
According to the statement, Daratu pond is still an incomplete project, with overall implementation reaching 78 percent. Heavy rainfall caused a large volume of water to flow into the basin, while the filling of Chamrga dam and the opening of its lower outlets increased pressure on the structure.
The collapse occurred in a section between the spillway and the main body of the pond, partly due to unfinished components of the project resulting from financial constraints.
The directorate reassured residents that the main structure remains stable, emphasizing that the volume of water released downstream was within normal spillway levels and did not cause flooding or damage to surrounding areas.
It added that the project contractor and supervising committee have been tasked with initiating technical repairs immediately after the rainfall subsides, following engineering and scientific standards to ensure safety and completion.
These developments come as multiple areas across the Kurdistan Region experience rising water levels due to the ongoing wave of rainfall.
As rainfall continues, authorities emphasize vigilance while reassuring the public that key water infrastructure remains under control.