Kurdish PM lays foundation stone for Dwin Dam in Erbil

Shafaq News/ On Monday, Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani laid the foundation stone for the Dwin Dam in Erbil, a project being implemented by the local "Sink" company.

In his speech during the ceremony, Barzani stressed that the completion of the dam would transform the region into one of the most important tourism and economic hubs in the Kurdistan Region, highlighting the “historical significance of the project site, which is tied to Kurdish leader Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi,” and reassuring that the construction would not affect nearby historical landmarks.

Barzani urged, “no water should be diverted from other areas into the dam” and called for the restoration of Dwin Castle and other historical sites in the region. He also promised compensation for farmers affected by the project.

With a storage capacity of 100 million cubic meters and covering an area of four square kilometers, the Dwin Dam will play a remakrkable role in supporting agriculture in Erbil governorate by raising groundwater levels.

“The dam would positively impact the region's fish farming industry and is part of a long-term water strategy aimed at combating climate change and addressing drought.”

KRG Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Begard Talabani, hailed the Dwin Dam as a significant achievement not only for the Kurdistan Region but also for southern and central Iraq.

Talabani added that work on 10 dams over the past three years is nearing completion, with a combined storage capacity of over 160 million cubic meters of water expected by the end of the year.