Using turkey nest dams to recharge the main well in kariz

Excessive use of groundwater, especially in agriculture, has led to a drop in aquifer water levels, and along with droughts, has dealt irreparable losses such as drying of karizes, springs, wells and land subsidence. One of the traditional ways of protecting these resources is the use of rainwater catchment systems as an Iranian technique for storage of precipitation. Among water extraction systems, turkey nest dams can be introduced to recharge groundwater aquifers, enable permanent utilization, and prevent drying of springs and karizes. The benefits of using turkey nest dams are the large volume of these reservoirs and reduction of water costs. Turkey nest dams reduce drilling depth and increase capacity. In this research, we consider the application, dimensions, and location of this system. Turkey nest dams can be built near a river. In the Meshnagh sub-basin of Lake Urmia, about 40 deep wells and 4 active karizes discharge nearly 5 Mm3 of water from groundwater aquifers. In order to construct two turkey nest dams with the aim of recharging the wells of the Katkahriz kariz, excavation and earthwork operations were carried out along the Meshnag River in the north of Lake Urmia. The dams had a large diameter of 60 m, a small diameter of 50m, and a height of 3m with a 1:3 slope. The effective capacity of the dams was estimated at 27,000 m3. If technical principles are observed, a dam of this size on soil with coarse grains and alluvial sediments with a minimum porosity of 35% will supply more than 10,000 m3 of water into the main well of the kariz.