Mosul Dam: Challenges and Innovative Solutions

Reservoir siting, permitting, construction and operation can, at times, face insurmountable challenges. Mosul Dam, a multipurpose dam located in Northern Iraq, is constructed on dissolvable anhydrite, gypsum limestone formation. To mitigate long-term impacts to the foundation, designers opted for structural solution. They incorporated into design grouting gallery maintenance of foundation cutoff grout curtain. In 2016, concerns with risk posed by deteriorating resulted execution Dam emergency project. This paper illustrates how international community proactively came together prevent an incident potential tragic proportions well before it could manifest itself. The work excellent example Governments investing preventing disaster rather than fixing disaster. presents general approach adopted project discusses scope (SOW) evolved address myriad requirements, including training transfer information equipment Iraqi Ministry Water Resources that not have been foreseen during scoping work. Additionally, this success can be achieved when team members share strong commitment cooperation determination succeed.