Omar Shah Dam

🕰️When was it built?

The dam was built in the Qajar period and added to the National Heritage List of Iran in 2001, under number 4815. The agriculture department rebuilt it in 1988, but this intervention altered its historic appearance.

🏛️What was it built for?

The dam was placed across a seasonal river to store water and control floods. Its curved body and central supports worked together against water pressure. Sarooj was a common mortar in hydraulic structures, binding materials and providing resistance to moisture.

👀What you will see

• The curved body has a 27-metre-long crest extending from one side of the valley to the other.
• Two central supports reinforce the wall, giving the structure features of both an arch dam and a buttress dam.
• The 13-metre-high wall is built with brick, stone and sarooj mortar.
• The emergency discharge channel has two supporting buttresses beside it.

💡Something interesting

Omar Shah, Darreh and Alang are historic Qajar dams in this area. The 1988 rebuilding damaged its historic appearance, so not everything you see retains its original form.

🎒Good to know before you go

• Avoid the seasonal riverbed in rainy weather or when flash floods are possible.
• Stay back from the crest edge and do not climb the wall or buttresses to inspect the supports.