Investigating the social, economic, and environmental effects of water struc-tures: A case study of Kelaroud reservoir dam

Subject Areas : Environmental issues related to water systems

Mojtaba Farhadzadeh ¹ , Heydar Davoodiyan ² , Maliheh Akbari ³ , Fatemeh Tamjid ⁴ , Parisa Maleki ⁵

1 - Mazandaran Regional Water Company
2 - Mazandaran Regional Water Company, Mazandaran, Iran.
3 - Mazandaran Regional Water Company, Mazandaran, Iran.
4 - Mazandaran Regional Water Company, Mazandaran, Iran.
5 - Mazandaran Regional Water Company, Mazandaran, Iran.

Received: 2024-10-26 Accepted : 2024-12-15 Published : 2024-12-24

Keywords: Social effects, Economic effects, Environmental effect, Kelaroud Dam, Drinking water need,

Abstract :

Dam construction projects have various impacts on the biological and social environment. The construction of a dam on the Kelaroud River in Mazandaran Province is one of the important development projects. This study aims to examine the social, environmental, and economic impacts of the construction of this dam on the surrounding areas. The study primarily relies on a review of existing resources and the socio-economic analysis conducted during the initial phase of the Kelaroud Dam studies. The study predicted population growth and drinking water demand for the target year using demographic data. The social and economic consequences of the construction of the dam were also examined. Among its many positive effects, the most important of them is the storage and regulation of water from the Kelaroud River to meet part of the drinking water needs of the cities of Babol, Babolsar, and Fereidounkenar, which are currently facing a shortage of drinking water. According to the latest population data (2016), these cities collectively have 419,493 residents. By the target year of 1430 (2051 in the Gregorian calendar), the estimated water demand for drinking, industry, and tourism in these cities is approximately 40 million cubic meters of which 17 million cubic meters is planned to be supplied by the Kelaroud Dam. In addition to addressing water shortages, the dam offers positive social outcomes, such as job creation, increased income, higher land value, enhanced public participation, improved health and social welfare, reduced migration, and development of the regional tourism industry. However, the project also presents several negative impacts, including erosion and sedimentation, waste accumulation, deforestation, wildlife displacement, air pollution, and noise pollution in the area.

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