Friday, September 9
ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS PROJECTS CREATE JOBS, STABILITY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN IRAQ
| September 9, 2005 BAGHDAD, Iraq - Stabilization of the Mosul Dam continues with an additional $20 million in Iraq Reconstruction and Relief Funds allocated this week for that purpose. The Iraq Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Electricity have made the dam a top priority for the region. The largest dam in Iraq, Mosul earthen dam holds back upwards of 12 billion cubic meters of water for the arid western Ninewah Province while creating hydroelectric power for the 1.7 million residents of Mosul. This reconstruction project includes an upgrade of specialized maintenance equipment, seismic monitors, materials and spare parts. A training element is included with the aid package, which will help make the project self-sustaining in the future. Completed in 1983, the dam has required maintenance to plug or “grout” areas of leakage on a regular basis. Without this needed work, the dam could develop problems over time with the possibility of a catastrophic failure. An event of this magnitude would be profound, devastating the rich agricultural valley of the Tigris and endangering the population of Mosul. New automatic grout-injection equipment included in the project will help arrest seepage under the dam. Seismic equipment will provide information to monitor the dam’s stability. Both types of work are critical in continuing flood protection, irrigating farmland, and maintaining sufficient water to generate 320 MW of electricity. An Iraqi contractor has been selected for this important work as part of an effort to encourage local economic development and jobs. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will provide engineering and quality-control oversight from Gulf Region North near the city of Mosul. The project is scheduled for completion in early 2006. At the time of transfer of sovereignty in June 2004 to the Iraqi Interim Government, there were just over 200 reconstruction projects started in Iraq. Today 2,827 projects have started - valued at about $6.6B. Currently 1,099 projects are ongoing at a program value of about $ 4.6B, and 1,728 projects are completed - valued at about $2B. |
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