The construction of Sarperi Dam in Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad Province has gained momentum after a gap of years, the provincial governor said.
The project to build the dam in the southwestern province was launched in 2011, but it registered only 23% progress until 2020 when the project was halted due to financial problems, Mehr News Agency also quoted Abdolaziz Mousavi as saying.
“However, about $2.4 million were allocated to the project recently and the construction process accelerated in the past few months and currently its progress reached 34%,” he added.
Mousavi noted that the dam has observed all the necessary standards and according to reports, efforts will be made to make it operational by the end of next summer.
“With a capacity of 3 million cubic meters of water, Sarperi Dam can irrigate more than 450 hectares of agricultural land,” he said.
“The project also plays an important role in controlling seasonal floods. When operational, the dam will help create jobs in the region and bring about economic prosperity in the province.”
The southwestern province, with its high capacity for agriculture and tourism, has been suffering from water tension and dam construction will help alleviate it.
Two years ago, the first-ever agritourism farm with an area of 17 hectares was inaugurated in Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad to promote economic prosperity in rural areas.
Agriculture Tourism
Agriculture tourism is intended to generate income for indigenous communities and help achieve rural development.
Agritourism is a relatively new branch of the travel industry, in which tourists stay with local people in rural areas. Farm/ranch recreation refers to activities conducted on private agricultural lands, which might include hunting, fishing, overnight stays, educational activities, etc.
Experts believe that in addition to customer services jobs, agritourism pays special attention to the production sector, saying agricultural tourism is much more important and practical than other branches of tourism because it creates a new chain and diversity in the fields of production and services.
Agritourism and Nature-tourism enterprises might include outdoor recreation (fishing, hunting, wildlife study, horseback riding), educational experiences (cannery tours, cooking classes, or tea or coffee tasting), entertainment (harvest festivals or barn dances), hospitality services (farm stays, guided tours, or outfitter services), and on-farm direct sales (u-pick operations or roadside stands).
Agritourism is a subset of a larger industry called rural tourism that includes resorts, off-site farmers' markets, non-profit agricultural tours, and other leisure and hospitality businesses that attract visitors to the countryside.
The lesser-known Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad Province is a cradle of nomadic life. Sightseers may live with a nomadic or rural family for a while, or enjoy an independent stay and assist them with day-to-day life. It also opens up an opportunity to experience rustic routines, agricultural activities, traditions, arts and culture.
The rise in precipitation this year is a good sign that the province will have good water conditions next year.
From the beginning of the current water year (Sept. 23, 2022) to April 1, 2023, 21.5 billion cubic meters of water have entered Iran’s dams, indicating an increase of 16% compared with the same period of last year when the amount was 18.5 bcm.
The rise is partly due to higher rainfall in the country, which reached 170.2 mm in the same period, marking a growth of 11% compared to the last water year.
This is also partly because of the gradual warming of the weather and the melting of snow in the mountains.
Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad Province had the highest volume of rain that reached 767.4 mm in the current water year. Compared to 547 mm of rain registered during the same period of last year, it shows a growth of 40%.
The province is mostly mountainous in terrain, part of the Zagros range. The highest point is the Dena Summit with a height of 5,109 meters.
