Kingdom of Morocco

Zerrar Dam
Loan No: 540 Interest Rate: 3.0 %
Beneficiary: Ministry of Energy, Mining, Water and Environment Grace Period: 5 years
Project Cost: KD 29.1 million Maturity: 22 years
Amount of Loan: KD 15.0 million Repayment: 35 semi-annual installments
Date of Board Approval: - First Installment: 5 years following the first disbursement
Date of Loan Agreement: 2009-05-26 Date of Loan Effectiveness: -

Objectives:

The project aims at providing about 18 million m3 of water annually to meet the increasing demand for drinking and irrigation water in Essaouira province, through the construction of a dam to regulate the water of Wadi Ksob. The project will contribute to the protection of the city of Essaouira from floods, as well as to the increase of regulated surface water in the kingdom through the storage and utilization of Wadi Ksob floods presently wasted into the Atlantic Ocean. It will also contribute to the improvement of living and health conditions of the population in the project area, and to its economic development.

Description:

The project, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2012, consists of the construction of Zerrar dam on Wadi Ksob in a location 30 km south east of the city of Essaouira, technical services required for the construction of the dam, as well as land acquisition and project management. The following is a description of these components:

  1. Construction of the Dam:This includes the construction of a concrete face fill dam and its appurtenant structures. The dam will be 60 m high above the wadi bed, 418 m long with a crest width of 8 m. The appurtenant structures include a concrete side spillway which is 40-120 m wide and 285 m long, and the bottom outlet which is 10 m wide and 8.5 m high concrete gallery under the dam . The dam also includes the water intakes required to control the reservoir water. The dam will impound a reservoir with gross storage capacity of 65 million m3, and it will regulate annually about 18 million m3 of water. The construction of the dam includes the following major works:
    1. Civil Works:This includes excavation, fill, concrete, and grouting works required for the construction of the dam and its appurtenant structures such as spillway, bottom outlet and water intakes. It also includes all site installations necessary for the construction of the dam and its appurtenant structures.
    2. Hydro-Mechanical Works:This includes the supply and installation of gates, pipes, valves and related equipment to control water in the spillway, bottom outlet and water intakes. It also includes all electrical and mechanical equipment required for the operation of the dam. 
  2. Technical Services:This includes the consultancy services required to prepare the construction designs and drawings, supervision of the dam construction, as well as the services of international experts to review the studies and design of the dam.
  3. Land Expropriation:This includes land acquisition, compensation for properties required for the construction and operation of the dam.
  4. Project Management:This includes the establishment of the project management unit which will administer the construction of the dam.

Financing:

The Arab Fund’s loan covers about 51.5% of the total project cost. The Moroccan Government will cover the remaining cost of the project and any additional cost that may arise.