The government has invested about $10 million on the construction of Haraz Dam in Mazandaran Province in the past two years, helping the long-awaited project gain momentum, the provincial governor said.
“Considering the water issues in Mazandaran, the completion of the project is very important for the province,” Mahmoud Hosseinipour was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
“The construction process has registered 55% progress so far and according to the latest estimates, $50 million are needed to complete the dam,” he added.
The official noted that if financial resources are provided, the dam will become operational in the next three years.
“The project is being completed with the help of Iranian experts and without the involvement of any foreign companies,” he said.
Hosseinipour said the Haraz Dam will help control floodwaters in the region, supply water to the agricultural sector and develop tourism in Mazandaran as it is located on Haraz River, along route linking Tehran to Mazandaran.
Haraz River flows northward from the Mount Damavand across the cities of Larijan and Amol, and finally to the Caspian Sea between Mahmoudabad and Fereydounkenar cities.
The construction of Haraz Dam, located 20 km south of Amol, kicked off in 2009. The dam is 150 meters high and has the capacity to store 250 million cubic meters of water.
Waste Disposal
Another problematic issue concerns waste disposal in the region.
Haraz Dam will not become fully operational unless an efficient waste management strategy is adopted to tackle the growing bulk of garbage in the vicinity of Haraz River.
Parts of the banks of Haraz River have been used as a waste depot over the last 30 years, leading to the inflow of massive leachate that has turned the riverside into an intolerably stinking area.
In the early stages of the dam project, the Mazandaran Regional Water Company officially pledged to solve the waste disposal problem before the dam's inauguration within two years. Now the project is halfway through, but the waste problem has not been solved.
The seriousness of the condition recently forced Mazandaran's prosecutor to ban the dumping of waste in the region, obliging relevant officials to take measures to stop waste disposal in the area. The Department of the Environment and the people strongly support the decree.
The northern provinces of the country, especially forests, lakes and coastlines, have been suffering from poor waste management for quite a long time. All kinds of trash are dumped in Nature, thanks to outdated and unsanitary methods used by municipalities.
Waste is disposed arbitrarily without any regard for geological features or groundwater resources of an area. This can cause the spread of contaminants and diseases in rural and urban areas, and cattle might feed on these materials. Besides, due to heavy rainfall in the northern areas, effluents could be carried downstream.
Experts stress that municipalities must be tasked with using up-to-date techniques and waste-burners to dispose of rubbish, turn it into compost or use it to generate electricity.
Located beside the Caspian Sea, Mazandaran receives water from numerous rivers, or water flowing from the mountains to the sea, in addition to the annual rainfall.
However, due to the decline in precipitation in the past three years, the province has had problems supplying water to all sectors, especially to its rural residents.
According to latest reports, close to $40 million have been allocated to complete water supply projects in Mazandaran. The budget required to supply drinking water to 128 villages has been allocated and with the completion of the water projects, 3,000 subscribers will get access to piped water.
