Overview:

Toudja Dam is an embankment dam located on the Oued Toudja on the coast of Béjaïa in Algeria. Constructed between 1984 and 1989, the dam serves several purposes. These include flood control, the irrigation of 10,500 hectares of agricultural land, the generation of 80.8 MW of hydroelectric power, and the prevention of coastal erosion. The reservoir created by the dam has an area of 63 square kilometers and a normal storage capacity of 247 million cubic meters. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Algeria
Prominent Features:

The main features of the Toudja Dam, located in Béjaïa, Algeria, are its impressive size, its curved shape, and its multi-purpose design. The Toudja Dam is the largest in Algeria, with a length of over 8 kilometers and a maximum crest height of 120 meters. It has a curved dam structure, making it the most curved dam in the world. The dam also has an outstanding multi-purpose design, supplying both hydroelectric power and irrigation for Béjaïa. It has a 4-megawatt hydroelectric power plant, capable of supplying more than 37 megawatt hours of electricity to the nearby city. The dam also provides an irrigation system that can supply up to 4,000 hectares of land with agricultural water. The dam also has a capacity to store up to 1,850 million cubic meters of water, sufficient to help mitigate the impacts of drought in the surrounding areas. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Algeria.

History:

The Toudja Dam, located in the city of Bejaïa, Algeria, was built between 1959 and 1961 by the National Office for Water Resources and Electricity (ONEE) to control floods, provide hydroelectric power, and to supply water for irrigation to the surrounding agricultural lands. It is a concrete gravity dam 45 m high with a spillway length of 140 m. Construction of the dam involved clearing of land and constructions around the reservoir, the relocation of inhabitants, and the excavations necessary to create the dam. Problems arose in the early stages of the project due to incidences of soil slipping, notably in October 1959, and to the quality of the cement being used in the construction. The instability of the cement used and the need to discharge material downstream resulted in an increased cost but also meant that the construction of the dam was completed much faster than expected. By 1961, the dam was operational and was considered the largest civil engineering project in Algeria at the time. It has a storage capacity of up to 2,260 million cubic meters, a power plant with an installed capacity of 63 megawatts and irrigation of up to 10,000 hectares and the whole project costed about 133 million dinars. In the years since its construction, Toudja Dam has served as a major source of energy, water supply and flood control for the region. It has also had a significant impact on the local economy, providing green and employment opportunities, as well as contributing to agricultural development. In recent years, the dam has become a major tourist attraction, offering activities such as sailing, fishing, and nature walks. The site also serves as an important educational resource, hosting a number of field trips for schoolchildren from around the region. Visit one of the famous monuments of Algeria with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. Toudja Dam is a rockfill embankment dam on the Soummam River near Béjaïa in Algeria. 2. The dam was constructed between 1961 and 1964 and its primary purpose is to supply irrigation water, with a power station built into the dam for a capacity of 4.95MW. 3. The dam is 52m high with a crest length of 433m. 4. It is located in an area with a long history of settlements dating back to the Phoenicians, Numidians, Romans and Vandals. 5. The reservoir created by the dam has a total capacity of 668 million cubic metres. 6. Its irrigation network covers a total area of 115,000 hectares served by 180 wells. 7. The location of the dam has led to the creation of an important wetlands area, attracting a variety of bird species, such as flamingos, herons, osprey and eagles. One of the historical monuments of Algeria, it tells the story of a bygone era