HIBAPRESS-RABAT-MAP eco-friendly
Commune of Ait Majden (Azilal Province) – The progress rate of construction work on the dam on Oued Lakhdar in the commune of Ait Majden (Azilal) has reached 35%, underlined the head of development of this dam, Ali Kerdad.
The construction of this dam for an amount of 1.7 billion DH is part of the implementation of the High Royal Instructions aimed at guaranteeing drinking water and strengthening the country’s water security, said Mr. Kardad, noting that the work on this work will be completed in October 2026.
Also part of the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Program 2022-2027, this hydraulic work is likely to strengthen the supply of the province of Azilal with drinking and irrigation water in addition to contribute to its protection against flooding and to better electricity production, he explained.
It will also contribute to the irrigation of land downstream of the hydraulic structure and the valorization of water intended for the production of electricity at the Idriss 1st dam in addition to the transfer of water from the Oum Er Rbia basin to Al Haouz for supplying the city of Marrakech with drinking water, continues Mr. Kardad.
The overall cost of construction of this dam, whose storage capacity amounts to 151 million m3, includes civil engineering works, hydromechanical works as well as the expropriation of land for public utility, he specified, letting it be known that A total of 50 families in the region benefit from direct employment as part of this project.
Regarding the specifics of this installation, Mr. Kardad said that this dam is composed of a roller compacted concrete dike 110 meters high and a pass dike with a length of more than 1 km and with a maximum height of 30 meters favoring better protection of the waters of the dam.
It should be remembered that as part of the National Program for the Supply of Drinking Water and Irrigation 2020-2027, two dams are being built in the provinces of Béni Mellal and Azilal.
These are the dam on Oued Lakhdar and that of Tagzirt on Oued Darna in the province of Béni Mellal with a capacity of 83 Mm3. A third dam was launched in 2024 in the province of Azilal. This is the Tiouzgha dam with a storage capacity of 160 Mm3.
At the same time, and during the period 2022-2024, the construction of a dozen small dams and hill lakes is planned: five in Khénifra, three in Khouribga, two in Béni Mellal and two in Azilal.
The program for the rehabilitation of small dams, for the same period, concerns three dams in Béni Mellal and seven dams in Khouribga. The impact of small dams and hill lakes is very significant on the local population, to the extent that they offer opportunities for the development of small-scale irrigation and livestock watering, in addition to protection against flooding.
