| Mahabad Dam | |
| Location Map: | Iran |
| Coordinates: | 36.7675°N 45.7017°W |
| Country: | Iran |
| Location: | Mahabad, West Azerbaijan province |
| Purpose: | Flood control, Irrigation, Power |
| Status: | O |
| Construction Began: | 1968 |
| Owner: | Regional Company of West Azerbaijan |
| Dam Type: | Embankment, earth and rock-fill |
| Dam Crosses: | Mahabad River |
| Dam Length: | 700m (2,300feet) |
| Dam Height: | 45m (148feet) |
| Dam Height Foundation: | 47m (154feet) |
| Dam Width Crest: | 8m (26feet) |
| Dam Width Base: | 221.5m (726.7feet) |
| Dam Volume: | 1500000m2 |
| Res Capacity Total: | 230000000m2 |
| Res Capacity Active: | 190000000m2 |
| Res Catchment: | 808 km2 [1] |
| Res Elevation: | 1358.5m (4,457feet) |
| Plant Operator: | Regional Company of West Azerbaijan |
| Plant Commission: | 1972[2] |
| Plant Turbines: | 2 x 3 MW |
| Plant Capacity: | 6 MW[3] |
Mahabad Dam (Persian: سد مهاباد) is an embankment dam[4] on the Mahabad River near the city of Mahabad, West Azerbaijan province, Iran. It was built before the Islamic revolution by Yugoslavian engineers and is one of the ten largest dams in Iran. On average, the total volume of annual water input is equal to 339.304 million cubic meters.[5] The Mahabad Dam provides water for agriculture (71%), industry (11%), drinking (7%), and other miscellaneous purposes (11%).[6] The dam also has a hydroelectric power station. Construction began in 1968 and the dam was completed in 1970.[7] [8]
Mahabad–Sardasht Road and Mahabad-Piranshahr Road pass along the lake.
This dam is located near Mahabad city. Mahabad is limited to Urmia lake and Miandoab city in the north, Bukan city in the east, Saqqez and Sardasht cities in the south, and Piranshahr and Naqadeh cities in the west.
Mahabad city is located between 45 degrees and 43 minutes east longitude and 36 degrees and 58 minutes to 36 degrees and 32 minutes north latitude And its height is 1,385 meters above sea level.[9]
In the Mahabad region, the amount of rainfall in higher altitudes is more than in places with lower altitudes.
Rainfall in the high places of Mahabad region is 750 mm per year, but with the decrease in altitude, the amount of rainfall decreases, so that this amount reaches 300 mm per year at the end of the northern part of Mahabad plain. During ten years, the average amount of annual rainfall is about 350 mm, which is the highest at the beginning of spring, equal to 24.79 mm, and the lowest amount of rainfall is equal to 3 mm in August.The maximum daily rainfall at the beginning of winter is 38 mm.