View source for Lar Dam

{{Infobox dam
| name   = Lar Dam
| image  =Lar Lake.jpg
| image_caption        = Lar Lake
| name_official        =
| location_map         = Iran
| location_map_size    =
| location_map_caption =
| coordinates          = {{coord|35|53|21.58|N|51|59|45.54|E|display=inline,title}}
| country              = [[Iran]]
| status               = O
| construction_began   = 1974
| opening              = 1982
| demolished           = 
| cost                 = 
| owner                = Regional Water Company
| purpose              = Water supply, power
| res_capacity_total   = {{Convert|960000000|m3|acre.ft|0|abbr=on}}
| location             = [[Mazandaran]], [[Amol county]]
| dam_length           = {{Convert|1150|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| dam_height           = {{Convert|105|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| dam_width_crest       = {{Convert|13|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| dam_width_base       = {{Convert|800|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| dam_volume           = 
| dam_crosses          = Lar river
| spillway_count       = 
| spillway_type        = 
| spillway_capacity    = {{convert|1160|m3/s|abbr=on}}
| plant_commission     = Kalan: 1998<br/>Lavarak: 2012-2013
| plant_turbines       = Kalan: 3 x 38.5 MW [[Francis-type]] <br/>Lavarak: 2 x 23.5 MW Francis-type
| plant_capacity       = Kalan: 115.5 MW<br/>Lavarak: 47 MW
| website              = https://thrw.ir/st/73
| extra  =
}}

'''Lar Dam''' ([[Persian Language|Persian]]: سد لار ''sad-de lār'') is a [[dam]] located at the foot of [[Mount Damavand]] in [[Amol county]], [[Mazandaran]], Iran. The dam is located within the protected [[Lar National Park]], and situated just 70 kilometers northeast of the capital and the most populous city of the country, [[Iran]]. The primary purpose of the dam is municipal water supply to Tehran but prior to the water reaching the city filtration plant, it is used to power the '''Kalan''' and '''Lavarak''' Hydroelectric Power Stations, with a combined installed capacity of 162.5 MW.

==Construction==
{{Infobox bridge
| name  = Lar Dam bridge
| width = 13 m
}}
The construction began on the dam in 1974, and ended four years later in 1981. When the reservoir began in 1980, leakage was discovered downstream. The leakage is due to a [[karst]] foundation. The foundation was grouted from 1983 until 1989 with no success.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Feghhi|first=Kh|title=Contribution of the Lar Dam-Polur Lineament in the Lar Dam Leakage|journal=Dams and Reservoirs, Societies and Environment in the 21st Century|year=2006|volume=1|pages=699–706|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6XzSYK9vNXQC&q=lar+dam+capacity&pg=PA699|access-date=21 March 2013|publisher=Taylor & Francis Group|location=London|isbn=9780203963555}}</ref> With the population growth occurring in Amol, there was a need for more water and energy. The ideal place for the dam was over the Lar river, in the northeast section of the city, at the elevated heights of the ''Kalanbasteh'' mountain on the slope of Mount Damavand. The area is called Polour, and operations began in 1984.

One of the aims for building the Lar dam was to supply part of Amol with drinking water; it was not possible initially to operate the dam at its nominal capacity, because of a water seepage problem. Water stored in the dam's reservoir is first transferred to the ''Kalan Power Station'' ({{Coord|35|48|24.87|N|51|47|29.46|E|name=Kalan Hydroelectric Power Station}}) then to the ''Lavark Power Station'' ({{Coord|35|48|34.97|N|51|44|54.67|E|name=Lavarak Hydroelectric Power Station}}), a distance of 3 kilometers from the [[Latyan Dam]]'s reservoir, through the 20 kilometer long ''Kalan'' tunnel (3 meters in size). After electricity generation, the water joins and feeds the Latyan dam's reservoir. The Kalan Power Station was commissioned in 1998 and the Lavarak in March 2012 and July 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=News: Second Unit of Lavark Power Plant Joins the National Power Network|url=http://en.iwpco.ir/Lists/News/DispForm.aspx?ID=166&Source=http%3A%2F%2Fen%2Eiwpco%2Eir%2Fdefault%2Easpx|publisher=Iran Water and Power Resources Development Co.|access-date=2 August 2013}}</ref>

Uncontrolled growth and expansion of Tehran created a situation where the existing water resources at [[Karaj Dam|Karaj]], [[Latyan Dam|Latyan]] and Lar dams and the deep wells which were supposed to be exploited only in the during the peak water consumption period. These were no longer capable of meeting the city's water demand, so inevitable abstraction from ground resources started to increase in a manner that at the present situation, the quantity of drilled deep wells has amounted to 230 rings. In fact, from 1997-2000, it had been orderly abstracted, 317, 289, 374 and 357 MCM ([[million cubic metre]]s) of water from groundwater resources of the city.<ref>http://www.edu.joensuu.fi/eno/documents/global2.pdf#search=%22%22Lar%20Dam%22%22{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Lake==
[[file:Lar lake from Damavand mountain 8 - panoramio.jpg |thumb|right|Lar lake from [[Mount Damavand|Damavand mountain]].]]The lake is {{Convert|84|km|abbr=on}} northeast of [[Tehran]].

==See also==
[[Dams in Iran]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{stack|{{Portal|Iran|Water|Renewable energy}}}}
{{GeoGroupTemplate}}
* {{Cite web |title=Lar dam |url=http://www.soil-water.com/english/dams/Lar.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015191123/http://www.soil-water.com/english/dams/Lar.htm |archive-date=Oct 15, 2007 |website=Soil & Water Engineering Site}}
* {{Cite web |date=1971 |title=Report to the Government of Iran on a Programme for the Development of Inland Fisheries -  Summary of Recommendations |url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/C3405E/C3405E03.htm |website=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations}}
* {{cite web |url-status=dead |archive-date=2006-11-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061124105228/http://isl-ingenierie.fr/refpages/en/pages/refa1r5.htm |url=http://isl-ingenierie.fr/refpages/en/pages/refa1r5.htm |website=Ingenierie |title= Lar Dam |lang=fr |publisher=ISL }}
{{Dams and reservoirs in Iran}}
[[Category:Dams in Mazandaran Province]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Mazandaran province]]
[[Category:Hydroelectric power stations in Iran]]
[[Category:Alborz (mountain range)]]
[[Category:Amol County]]
[[Category:Dams completed in 1982]]
[[Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 1998]]
[[Category:1982 establishments in Iran]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Amol]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Mazandaran province]]