In recent years, there has been a notable increase in dam construction, driven by the growing demand for water and/or power generation. However, concerns have emerged regarding landslide occurrences near newly constructed dams. To fill this gap, a recent study has provided tangible evidence linking such incidents to dam construction.
In March 2019, a devastating landslide struck Hoseynabad-e Kalpush village in north-central Iran. The landslide caused extensive damage to 300 houses while it blocked the road to a nearby dam. Despite local authorities attributing the landslide to heavy rainfall, researchers from the German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam had not the same opinion. They analyzed satellite data from the area, and they found that the stable slope began moving after the reservoir began filling in 2013.
More specifically, their findings revealed that land movement initially commenced at the lower part of the slope in 2015 and gradually progressed upwards as the reservoir's water level increased. Their investigation along with their findings was published in Engineering Geology journal.
The study indicates that the dam's water accumulation raised the local water table, rendering the nearby hillside soil more prone to movement, ultimately reactivating an ancient landslide. The landslide was finally triggered by exceptionally heavy rainfall in early 2019. In all, this incident serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the need for dam engineers to consider the risk of such events in the design process.
Sources: theguardian.com, scienceweekdigest.com, sciencedirect.com
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