Amir Kabir dam, also known as Karaj dam (سد کرج), is a dam on the Karaj River in the Central Alborz mountain range of northern Iran. It is located 63 km northwest of Tehran and 23 km north of Karaj. The dam was constructed on the Karaj River, and was the first multi-purpose dam in Iran.

Construction

The initial studies for Amir Kabir Dam took 22 years until 1956 when formal proceedings began and the dam was constructed from 1957 to 1961 by Morrison-Knudsen Co. From 1950 Khalil Taleghani took part in the construction process. Varian village was originally located on the bed of the Amir Kabir Dam and beside the Karaj River. Following the dam's construction, the village was relocated to higher grounds. This made the village only accessible by waterway.

Specifications

The ecliptic concrete structure is 180 m high, with 30 m length on bottom and 390 m on top and its watershed is 764 km long. The average annual water inflow to its reservoir is 472 million cubic meters. The total capacity of the dam's reservoir is 202 million cubic meters. The bottom elevation of reservoir and normal water surface elevation of reservoir are 1545 m and 1610 m respectively.

Purpose

The Amir Kabir Dam was built as a multi-purpose dam to provide tap water for Tehran alongside agricultural development in Karaj. It supplies the irrigation demand of over 50000 ha of farm land near Karaj. The power plant has been connected to the national electricity network for over 46 years and has a capacity of 90 megawatts. The lake behind the dam is a touristic attraction while being a natural habitat for rainbow trout. With its sailing and water-skiing facilities, the dam is a popular weekend summer resort.

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