Kayrakkum Dam
The Kayrakkum Dam, also spelt variously as Kayrakum, Kairakum, Qayraqqum or Qayroqqum, is an embankment dam on the Syr Darya River near the town of Kayrakkum in Sughd Province, Tajikistan. It is situated on the western edge of the Fergana Valley and creates Kayrakkum Reservoir. The reservoir supplies water for irrigation, primarily in Uzbekistan downstream, and hydroelectric power production.[1] The reservoir is also a Ramsar site. The dam's power station has an installed capacity of 126 MW and is operated by Barki Tojik.[2] Construction on the dam began in 1952. It began to impound its reservoir in 1956 and the first two generators were commissioned that year. The other four were operational in 1957 and the project was complete in 1959.[3] The power station is currently undergoing a rehabilitation which should be completed in 2020. Two new and larger turbines will increase the installed capacity to 142 MW.[4][5]
| Kayrakkum Dam | |
|---|---|
  Location of Kayrakkum Dam in Tajikistan | |
| Country | Tajikistan |
| Location | Kayrakkum Ghafurov District, Sughd Province |
| Coordinates | 40°16′37.27″N 69°48′58.02″E |
| Purpose | Irrigation, power |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1952 |
| Opening date | 1959 |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment |
| Impounds | Syr Darya River |
| Height | 32 m (105 ft) |
| Length | 1,202 m (3,944 ft) |
| Elevation at crest | 351.5 m (1,153 ft) |
| Spillway capacity | 3,960 m3/s (140,000 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Kayrakkum Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 4,200,000,000 m3 (3,400,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Active capacity | 2,300,000,000 m3 (1,900,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Inactive capacity | 1,900,000,000 m3 (1,500,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Catchment area | 136,000 km2 (53,000 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 513 km2 (198 sq mi) |
| Normal elevation | 347.5 m (1,140 ft) |
| Operator(s) | Barki Tojik |
| Commission date | 1956-1957 |
| Type | Conventional |
| Turbines | 6 x 21 MW Kaplan-type |
| Installed capacity | 126 MW |
The 32 m (105 ft) tall and 1,202 m (3,944 ft) long embankment dam is filled with sand, gravel and rock. Its spillway and power station are co-located on the left side of the dam in a gravity dam section. The spillway contains six maintenance gates and six operational gates with a total discharge capacity of 3,960 m3/s (140,000 cu ft/s). The power station houses six 21 MW Kaplan turbine-generators. Kayrakkum Reservoir has a total storage capacity of 4,200,000,000 m3 (3,400,000 acre⋅ft) and surface of 513 km2 (198 sq mi). Of the total reservoir capacity, 2,300,000,000 m3 (1,900,000 acre⋅ft) can be used for irrigation downstream and/or power generation. 1,900,000,000 m3 (1,500,000 acre⋅ft) is dead or unusable storage.[3]
References
- "Ferghana Valley Water Resources Management Project" (PDF). World Bank. 2005. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
- "Hydroelectric Plants in Tajikistan". IndustCards. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
- "Kayrakkum Dam Safety Assessment Report" (PDF). GIBB. March 2000. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
- "Kajrakkumskaya-GES" (in Russian). Barki Tojik. Archived from the original on 16 May 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
- "Tajikistan seeks engineering, implementation consultants to refurbish 126-MW Kayrakkum hydro project". HydroWorld. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2015.