Omid Ebrahimi /Radio Rawa
editor@radiorava.com
Perhaps when Shah Abbas Safavi ordered the construction of the first dam on the natural lake of Abbasabad in Behshahr in 1611, few people imagined that a few centuries later, dam building would become one of the most controversial environmental issues in the country.
According to existing definitions, a dam is a structure built to control, store, or divert water in rivers. Providing drinking water, developing agriculture, controlling floods, and generating electricity are among the most important purposes of building dams.
Over the years, Iran has been one of the most active countries in the field of dam construction. Although this trend was followed sporadically in different historical periods, many experts consider the peak of dam construction before the revolution to be the final years of the Pahlavi regime. During that period, 14 large dams were built in the country, some of the most important of which were located in the Karun, Urmia, and Bakhtegan basins.
With the coming to power of the Islamic Republic, the process of dam construction gained momentum. The development of contracting companies, increased development credits, and a structural approach to water resources management led to the construction of dozens of new dams in different parts of the country. So much so that in just one decade, more than 88 dams were built in the country.
Although dams were supposed to play an important role in providing water, generating electricity, and controlling the water shortage crisis, over time, many experts and even some government administrators warned about the consequences of this policy.
In March 2006, Mohammad Baqer Sadouq, the highest-ranking official in the field of natural environment at the Environmental Protection Organization, made a rare statement stating that many dam constructions were unnecessary and were only being carried out because of the existence of the dam construction mafia. He also considered excessive dam construction to be one of the major factors in desertification in the country.
These statements sparked a lot of reactions at the time, but just a few days later, Khodakaram Jalali, the then head of the country's Forests, Rangelands and Watershed Management Organization, confirmed some of these criticisms and said: "The cost of watershed and aquifer management operations to store one cubic meter of water is, on average, one-tenth of the cost of building large dams. Therefore, it is wiser and more economical for the government to support watershed and aquifer management regulatory operations instead of supporting the dam construction sector."
According to the then Deputy Minister of Agricultural Jihad in the ninth government, "Most of our current dams have practically become evaporation pans and only waste the country's water and money, because neither the necessary management measures have been taken in the upstream lands nor have downstream networks been set up."
The Iranian Water Resources Management Company also announced in a statistical report that hundreds of dams have been put into operation in the country and dozens of other projects are in the construction and study stages. Statistics that show that a structural approach to water resources management has continued to be one of the main policies of governments.
On the other hand, despite warnings from many environmentalists and activists about the consequences of over-insistence on structural management in the water sector, the process of dam construction in the country continued. Critics say that while many developed countries have moved towards non-structural management of water resources for years, in Iran, dam construction is still considered one of the first solutions to confront the water crisis.
Dam building: an industry that never stopped
Critics say that whenever the country's water crisis has intensified over the past two decades, the first solution proposed has been to build new dams. They believe that billions of tomans of public resources have been spent on projects, some of which have failed to achieve their initial goals.
Some experts even speak of the emergence of what they call a “dam economy,” a cycle in which consulting firms, contractors, and developers of large construction projects profit from the continuation of structural projects. They believe that in some cases, the economic benefits of implementing large projects have outweighed environmental and even expert considerations.
Critics argue that dams have been built in some parts of the country, but the water transmission networks were completed years later or were never fully operational. In their view, this shows that in some cases, construction has taken priority over resource management.
On the other hand, environmental activists say that the real cost of many dams is not limited to their construction costs, and that the damage to wetlands, rivers, agricultural lands, and groundwater resources must also be included in the calculations.
Lake Urmia: A Symbol of a Crisis
Many water experts believe that examining the condition of Lake Urmia can provide a clear picture of the consequences of improper management of water resources.
The lake, which was once one of the largest saline lakes in the world, has lost a significant portion of its size in recent years and has become one of the country's most important environmental concerns.
Environmental activists say that the construction of numerous dams in the lake's watershed, excessive agricultural development, and extensive extraction of groundwater resources are among the main factors in this situation. Although officials from the Ministry of Energy have always emphasized the role of drought and reduced rainfall, critics believe that such a crisis would never have occurred without human intervention.
According to experts, the Lake Urmia crisis is an example of the consequences of decisions made without considering the true capacity of ecosystems.
Gotvand; a dam that is still a point of controversy
Among the country's major dam projects, the Gotvand Dam has been criticized more than many other projects.
Some experts believe that the location of this dam near salt formations has increased the salinity of the water and caused damage, an issue that has been a point of contention between supporters and opponents of this project for years.
Although officials have repeatedly defended the project, Gotvand's name continues to appear in many critical reports about the dam, and it is cited as an example of the consequences of ignoring expert warnings.
When wetlands become victims
Critics of dam construction say that one of the most important victims of structural development in the country has been the wetlands.
The drying up or severe reduction in water intake of wetlands such as Gavkhuni, Bakhtegan, Jazmurian, and Hor-al-Azim has repeatedly caused concern among environmental activists in recent years.
They believe that the reduction in the natural water balance of these wetlands, in addition to destroying valuable habitats, has also paved the way for the spread of dust, an increase in dust centers, and the emergence of new environmental problems.
Experts believe that wetlands are not just water bodies, but also play an important role in preserving biodiversity, controlling dust, and maintaining the ecological balance of different regions of the country. Therefore, any disruption to their water rights can have widespread effects on the environment and even the lives of local communities.
Mohammad Darwish: Some dams are built without expert justification
Mohammad Darwish, a member of the faculty of the National Forest and Rangeland Research Institute, is among the experts who have repeatedly warned over the past years about the continuation of the dam construction process in the country.
He stated: "So far, many consultations have been held to stop the construction of unprofessional dams, but some officials are preventing this work from being done."
According to Darwish, members of parliament, Friday prayer leaders, and some provincial officials are in some cases pressuring the government and the Ministry of Energy to implement dam construction projects, even in situations where there is no necessary expert justification for implementing such projects.
This well-known environmental activist expressed concern about the economic uneconomical nature of some projects, stating that each centimeter of dam costs between $2.1 and $2.8.
He also pointed out that building dams to provide drinking water is considered one of the last solutions in developed countries, and stated: "The risk of a water shortage crisis always threatens the country, but the government, by pursuing structural management, which is a very costly method, has so far failed to take effective action to solve this crisis."
Darvish also reported an increase in the cost of some dam construction projects compared to initial estimates, adding: "Instead of implementing some costly projects, quick-payoff projects in the field of water resources management and watershed management were supposed to be considered, but so far no effective action has been taken in this regard."
Members of Parliament and the demand for dam construction
Another issue that has been raised many times by experts in recent years is political and local pressures to implement dam construction projects.
Some experts believe that in many parts of the country, dam construction has become a public and even political demand. In such circumstances, members of parliament, local officials, and some influential groups are trying to complete dam construction projects in their constituencies.
Critics say this issue has sometimes caused some projects to enter the implementation phase before being fully reviewed by experts.
In their belief, water resources management requires national decision-making based on scientific studies and should not be influenced by regional pressures.
Water crisis: the result of drought or mismanagement?
While many officials believe that the main cause of the current state of the country's water resources is drought and reduced rainfall, a group of experts believe that the contribution of mismanagement is no less than that of natural factors.
They say that Iran has always been an arid and semi-arid country and that the lack of rainfall is not a new phenomenon. From the group's perspective, what has exacerbated the current crisis is the way in which existing resources are consumed and managed.
Studies show that the majority of the country's water resources are consumed in the agricultural sector. Experts believe that traditional irrigation methods are still used in many regions of the country, which has caused a significant amount of water resources to be wasted.
On the other hand, excessive extraction of groundwater has also become one of the country's most important challenges. In many plains of Iran, the rate of extraction of groundwater resources has far exceeded their renewable capacity.
Land subsidence; a silent crisis
One of the less-seen consequences of the water crisis is the phenomenon of land subsidence, a phenomenon that experts refer to as a silent earthquake.
Extensive extraction of groundwater resources in recent years has caused many plains in the country to face the phenomenon of land subsidence.
Experts warn that the subsidence, unlike many other crises, is almost irreversible and could cause irreparable damage to the country's infrastructure.
In some areas, signs of subsidence have been observed in agricultural lands, roads, power lines, and even residential areas.
According to experts, continuing the current trend could widen the dimensions of this crisis in the coming years.
What does the world's experience say?
While dam construction in Iran remains one of the main tools for managing water resources, many countries around the world have taken a different path.
According to statistics published by international institutions, hundreds of dams have been destroyed or taken out of operation in various countries around the world in recent years.
Experts say that after decades of experience with dam building, many of these countries have concluded that the environmental costs of some projects outweigh their benefits.
For this reason, consumption management, water recycling, watershed management, river restoration, and groundwater protection have gradually replaced some of the structural policies.
What do those in favor of dam construction say?
Despite all this criticism, proponents of dam construction continue to defend the role of dams in the country's development.
They believe that a country with Iran's climatic conditions will not be able to meet its drinking, agricultural, and industrial needs without water storage infrastructure.
According to this group, many cities in the country today obtain their water needs from dams, and a significant portion of the country's electricity is also produced by hydroelectric power plants.
Proponents also emphasize that not all current water resource problems can be attributed to dam construction, and that factors such as drought, climate change, population growth, and increased consumption have also played a role in shaping the current situation.
However, even some supporters of dam construction believe that the era of a purely structural approach is over and that water resources management requires a set of complementary solutions.
Water, a victim of development or mismanagement?
Looking at the statistics of the water crisis that has engulfed Iran these days, we can see that the water issue is no longer just an environmental concern. The drying up of wetlands, the decline in groundwater reserves, land subsidence, and the increase in water stress in many provinces of the country show that the alarm has been sounding for a long time.
Experts believe that a significant part of the current problems is not due to an absolute shortage of water resources, but rather to the way these resources are managed. They say that while many countries in the world have changed their path from structural development to managing consumption and protecting existing resources, in Iran, dam building is still considered one of the main solutions to dealing with the water crisis.
However, the question that remains unanswered is whether continuing on this path can save the country from the current crisis or whether past policies should be seriously reconsidered.
A question whose answer will determine not only the fate of future dams, but also the future of Iran's water resources for future generations.