Kayrakkum Dam

The Kayrakkum Dam (Russian: Кайраккумская ГЭС; Tajik: НБО Қайроққум), also spelt variously as Kayrakum, Kairakum, Qayraqqum or Qayroqqum, is an embankment dam on the Syr Darya River near the town of Kayrakkum in Sughd Province, Tajikistan. It is situated on the western edge of the Fergana Valley and creates Kayrakkum Reservoir. The reservoir supplies water for irrigation, primarily in Uzbekistan downstream, and hydroelectric power production.[1] The reservoir is also a Ramsar site. The dam's power station has an installed capacity of 126 MW and is operated by Barki Tojik.[2] Construction on the dam began in 1952. It began to impound its reservoir in 1956 and the first two generators were commissioned that year. The other four were operational in 1957 and the project was complete in 1959.[3] The power station is currently undergoing a rehabilitation which should be completed in 2020. Two new and larger turbines will increase the installed capacity to 142 MW.[4][5]

Kayrakkum Dam
Location of Kayrakkum Dam in Tajikistan
Country	Tajikistan
Location	Kayrakkum Ghafurov District, Sughd Province
Coordinates	40°16′37.27″N 69°48′58.02″E
Purpose	Irrigation, power
Status	Operational
Construction began	1952
Opening date	1959 (1959)
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Embankment
Impounds	Syr Darya River
Height	32 m (105 ft)
Length	1,202 m (3,944 ft)
Elevation at crest	351.5 m (1,153 ft)
Spillway capacity	3,960 m3/s (140,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Creates	Kayrakkum Reservoir
Total capacity	4,200,000,000 m3 (3,400,000 acre⋅ft)
Active capacity	2,300,000,000 m3 (1,900,000 acre⋅ft)
Inactive capacity	1,900,000,000 m3 (1,500,000 acre⋅ft)
Catchment area	136,000 km2 (53,000 sq mi)
Surface area	513 km2 (198 sq mi)
Normal elevation	347.5 m (1,140 ft)
Operator(s)	Barki Tojik
Commission date	1956-1957
Type	Conventional
Turbines	6 x 21 MW Kaplan-type
Installed capacity	126 MW

The 32 m (105 ft) tall and 1,202 m (3,944 ft) long embankment dam is filled with sand, gravel and rock. Its spillway and power station are co-located on the left side of the dam in a gravity dam section. The spillway contains six maintenance gates and six operational gates with a total discharge capacity of 3,960 m³/s (140,000 cu ft/s). The power station houses six 21 MW Kaplan turbine-generators. Kayrakkum Reservoir has a total storage capacity of 4,200,000,000 m³ (3,400,000 acre⋅ft) and surface of 513 km² (198 sq mi). Of the total reservoir capacity, 2,300,000,000 m³ (1,900,000 acre⋅ft) can be used for irrigation downstream and/or power generation. 1,900,000,000 m³ (1,500,000 acre⋅ft) is dead or unusable storage.[3]