Overview:

Sidi Rached Dam is a dam and hydroelectric power plant located in Blida, Algeria. The dam is located on the Oued El Kebir River and was built in 1985. The dam is part of a multipurpose system designed to provide flood control, agricultural and industrial water supply, and hydroelectric power generation to the region. The power plant has an installed capacity of 22 MW and generates an average of 90 GWh annually. The reservoir created by the dam has a capacity of 24 million cubic meters, and irrigates 1000 hectares. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Algeria
Prominent Features:

1. It was built in 1932 and is located on the Oued El Harrach river. 2. It has a capacity of 42 million cubic meters of water and provides irrigation to local communities. 3. The project has been a major success in water management in Blida province. 4. It plays an important role in the local economy, providing hydropower, drinking water, flood control, and irrigation. 5. It serves the over 800,000 people living in the Blida province. 6. The project is also used to supply water for ground showering during summer months and for supporting the wildlife in the area. 7. The dam is part of a larger hydro-electric network that is planned to be built around the Blida province. 8. The dam also supports the hydroelectric power station located just downstream from it. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Algeria.

History:

Sidi Rached Dam, located in Blida province, Algeria, was built in the early 20th century to provide irrigation to the surrounding area as well as generate electricity. Construction began in 1912 and the dam was completed in 1951. It was built on the lower Oued El-Hamman river with a 117 meter high Rockfill crest and a 212 meter long concrete core wall. This structure is believed to be the highest such construction in the African continent. The dam was built using a variety of techniques developed by the French colonial powers, including diversion tunnels, an arch-core wall with shutters for regulation, and a gravity dam. These features allowed the dam to store water at the required levels in order to satisfy the needs of the surrounding populace. The project was complex and costly, including the building of a water pipeline to Blida and two feeder channels connecting the dam to an irrigation system. The dam had a major impact on the local population as it allowed for the development of agriculture and industry in the area. It is estimated that the dam helped increase crop production in the region by as much as 70 percent. Additionally, the dam also was used to generate hydroelectric power and provided electricity to the surrounding area. In 2000, the dam was modernized with the installation of automatic control systems, improved sluices, volume measurement control, and an online monitoring system. The modernizations have helped alleviate pressure on the dam and ensure the efficient use of the stored water. The dam continues to play an important role in the life of the residents of Blida and surrounding areas and much of the region’s economy is dependent on its output. Visit one of the famous monuments of Algeria with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. The Sidi Rached Dam is a large dam located in the Soummam Valley in Blida Province in north-western Algeria. 2. The dam was built between 1954 and 1958. 3. Its primary purpose was to supply water to the agricultural areas in the region and to regulate the flow of the Soummam River. 4. The dam is 185 m long, has a height of 35 m, and its reservoir has a surface of 3500 ha. 5. It is managed by the Organisation Nationale des Barrages et des Réservoirs. 6. The dam opened to its full capacity in 2017, allowing irrigation of more than 12,200 hectares of land and providing electricity through the hydroelectric power plant to the surrounding cities and villages. 7. The dam is supported by two high-pressure pipelines, each 1.98 km in length, that transfer water from the reservoir to the vast agricultural areas of Blida Province, leading to higher crop yields and increased agricultural production. 8. The dam has had major impacts, both positive and negative, on the environment and the local people by providing regulated irrigation water for local farmers, reducing the risk of floods in the Soummam Valley, and providing recreational activities such as fishing and boating. 9. However, the dam has also caused displacement of some local communities, as well as disruption of wildlife habitats and the loss of land due to inundation. 10. Despite its potential environmental impacts, the Sidi Rached Dam is seen as a vital part of the Algerian infrastructure and as part of the development of agricultural production in the region. One of the historical monuments of Algeria, it tells the story of a bygone era