Iranian University Student Designs Eco-Friendly Dams

Mohammad Sadeq Rohbani, a master of science undergraduate in watershed management at the University of Tehran, told ANA that the dams are appropriate for arid and mountainous areas.

Gabion dams developed by the Iranian student are environmentally friendly, and designed as a viable solution for flood control.

The dams are porous structures mostly used in many watersheds covering water reservoirs in Iran where soil erosion by water occurs steadily in uplands.

Stones and building materials are used inside the gabions. Gabion nets also have a coated metal, which is a hot-dip galvanized or plated wire.

Gabions are mainly used in civil engineering, road construction, and military affairs, Rohbani noted.

Cost-effectiveness is their main advantage. They have many uses in the world.

Considering that conventional dams are expensive to be built and do not consider environmental factors, the gabion dams are more useful in flood control.

The Department of Environment is planning to expand these dams due to their compatibility with the environment, he highlighted.

Such dams are widely used in building roads and breakwaters, he said, adding that they are also used in dam construction and civil engineering.

Stones that are used in building gabion dams are taken from the same watershed area. This is an advantage that helps protect the environment, Rohbani stressed.

The initial design of the dam is being implemented in Taleghan and Karaj. If approved, it will be implemented nationwide.

Iran is part of a hot and dry climate. If it rains, it usually turns into a flood. So, gabion dams can greatly help control floods.

In the meantime, underground water resources should be preserved to expand agriculture.

Rohbani went on to say that not paying attention to the construction of these dams and watershed management causes water shortages in the downstream areas.

Basically, these dams are built in steps, and this issue reduces the strength of the flood, he added.

Generally, gabion dams store 100 to 1000 cubic meters of water, although they have different capacities according to the geographical environment, Rohbani concluded.

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