Abstract
Mosul Dam is multipurpose earth fill dam. It is 3.4km long, 113m in height and its storage capacity reaches 11.11 km3 of which 2.95 km3 is dead storage. The dam is located on the River Tigris in the northern part of Iraq about 60 km in north west Mosul city. The dam was built on highly karstified alternating beds of gypsum, marl and limestone. The dam was operating in 1986 and since then, seepage problems started due to the solubility of the gypsum beds, presence of karstification and the effect of the local groundwater aquifer. Insensitive grouting program was put to stop the seepage and ensure the stability of the dam but it did not stop. The situation became worse in 2014 when ISIS occupied the dam area and grouting operations which were halted. Recent evaluation of the conditions indicates that the dam is in its worst conditions. The failure models of the dam indicate that 6 million people will be affected, and 7202 km2 of land will be inundated. To stop this catastrophe, grouting operations should be continued intensively to elongate the span life of the dam. Water level within its reservoir should be kept at a very low level to minimize the damages in case of dam failure. As a permanent solution, another dam should be built downstream Mosul Dam so that it can take the wave of Mosul Dam in case of its failure.
Highlights
Mosul dam is one of the largest dams in the Middle East, with an impoundment of 11.1 billion cubic meters; it adds to Iraq’s water resources another 8.16 billion cubic meters of live storages
Mosul Dam is located in the north of Iraq (42 ̊49'19''E, 36 ̊37'48''N)
The design envisaged the use of grouting to protect the foundation of the dam against seepage and the dissolution of gypsum; it did not take into account what could happen in the close proximity around the dam of such dissolution
Summary
Mosul dam is one of the largest dams in the Middle East, with an impoundment of 11.1 billion cubic meters; it adds to Iraq’s water resources another 8.16 billion cubic meters of live storages. Mosul Dam is located in the north of Iraq (42 ̊49'19''E, 36 ̊37'48''N). It has been known all the time that the dam’s foundation suffers from problems which are related to its prehistoric origins. Iraq is located on the northern edge of the Arabian shield which collided with the Eurasian plate giving rise to Taurus and Zagros mountain ridges. The north of Iraq itself was formed by the continuous fluctuation of the seas, sedimentation and evaporation processes. Mosul Dam site foundations are characterized by these types of rocks in a very advanced state of karstification due to the continued flow of ground water over history, which gave rise to the present problems
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