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| Ouarzazate Dam | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ouarzazate Dam |
| Location | Ouarzazate Province, Drâa-Tafilalet, Morocco |
| Country | Morocco |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1970s |
| Opening | 1972 |
| Owner | Office National de l'Electricité et de l'Eau Potable |
| Dam type | Earthfill |
| Dam height | 60 m |
| Reservoir capacity total | 400000000 m3 |
| Plant capacity | 140 MW |
Ouarzazate Dam is a major earthfill reservoir and hydroelectric facility on the Oued Ouarzazate near the city of Ouarzazate in southeastern Morocco. The project links regional infrastructure initiatives connecting Rabat policy with Casablanca industrial supply and Marrakesh tourism, and it plays a central role in the Drâa-Tafilalet water network supporting irrigation, urban supply, and power generation. The facility intersects with transnational water discourse involving African Development Bank, World Bank, and bilateral ties such as France–Morocco relations.
The dam sits in Ouarzazate Province within the High Atlas rain shadow, downstream of the Toubkal massif catchment contributing intermittent flows to the Drâa River basin. Proximate urban centers include Ouarzazate, Agdz, Alnif, and Zagora while transport links connect via the N9 road to Aït Benhaddou and the Amsouzert highway corridor toward Errachidia. The setting features geomorphology studied alongside sites like Tafraoute, Tinerhir, and Guelmim, and the reservoir overlays alluvial fans similar to those in Merzouga and Ziz River systems. Climate classification follows patterns documented by Météo Maroc and comparative studies with Sahara fringe stations, influencing sediment regimes also described in research from Université Mohammed V and Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II.
Conceived in the post-colonial development era, the project drew engineers and advisers from Direction Générale de l'Hydraulique and consultants with experience on Al Massira Dam and Bin el Ouidane Reservoir. Construction phases referenced procurement frameworks akin to those used in Great Man-Made River Project and leveraged financing conversations with European Investment Bank and Agence Française de Développement. Key contractors had links to firms active in projects such as Safi Port expansion and Tarfaya Wind Farm groundwork, and overseen by officials who previously served in ministries stewarding the National Office of Electricity. The opening ceremony engaged representatives from Ministry of Equipment and Transport and delegations similar to those at the inauguration of Al Wahda Reservoir.
The dam is an earthfill embankment comparable in principle to structures like Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah Dam and designed with a clay core and rock shell analogous to techniques used at Al-Bayda Barrage. Instrumentation and surveys referenced standards from International Commission on Large Dams protocols, while spillway and outlet works align with hydraulics research published by Électricité de France and hydrological modeling from Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Turbine and electromechanical equipment procurement mirrored specifications used by Siemens, General Electric, and installations such as Jebel Aouam powerhouses. Structural monitoring incorporated geotechnical methods from Université Cadi Ayyad and seismic assessments tied to studies near Anti-Atlas ranges.
The reservoir collects seasonal runoff shaped by precipitation events recorded by Météo Maroc networks and by episodic floods similar to those cataloged for the Drâa River and Ziz River. Sedimentation dynamics have been compared to findings at Al Massira Dam and Sidi Chahed, with water balance studies using methodologies from Food and Agriculture Organization irrigation manuals and hydrological research at Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II. The impoundment influences downstream flow regimes toward oases like Skoura and agricultural zones studied by INRA and universities including Université Mohammed V and Université Sultan Moulay Slimane.
Operational protocols are coordinated by the Office National de l'Electricité et de l'Eau Potable alongside regional directorates similar to management practices at Office Régional de Mise en Valeur Agricole offices. Allocation schedules reflect seasonal priorities observed in Moroccan water policy debates involving Ministry of Energy Transition and planning frameworks used for projects like Noor Ouarzazate Solar Complex. Irrigation releases support date palm cultivation in cooperatives comparable to those organized under the National Federation of Agricultural Chambers and supply municipal systems following design standards used in Agadir and Fes water supply upgrades.
Environmental assessments paralleled procedures used in Ramsar Convention site evaluations and biodiversity reports resembling studies conducted at Ifrane National Park and Souss-Massa National Park. Impacts on oases and groundwater recharge prompted research by Haut Commissariat aux Eaux et Forêts and NGOs with portfolios like WWF and Wetlands International. Social effects echoed resettlement and livelihood adjustments observed in cases such as Al Wahda Dam and displacement issues addressed by programs initiated through United Nations Development Programme collaborations. Cultural heritage considerations involved sites like Aït Benhaddou and archaeological surveys coordinated with Ministry of Culture.
The hydroelectric installation contributes to Morocco’s energy mix alongside renewable projects such as Noor Complex, Tarfaya Wind Farm, and grid interconnections with ONEE systems, complementing generation assets by Jorf Lasfar and Mohammedia thermal plants. The reservoir underpins irrigation that supports agricultural value chains linked to exports via Port of Agadir and commerce routes through Marrakesh-Menara Airport and Ouarzazate Airport. Financing and economic assessments referenced investment patterns seen with African Development Bank and Agence Française de Développement, integrating the project into national strategies promoted by Ministry of Industry and Trade and regional development plans coordinated with Wilaya of Drâa-Tafilalet.
Category:Dams in Morocco