The Sabzkuh Water Conveyance System was planned as an inter-basin water transfer project in the Sabzkuh region of the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, a tributary of the Karun River. Initially, the project included a diversion dam, an open canal, and a tunnel. However, in the initial feasibility studies, the potential environmental risks to the Choghakhor lagoon, ecosystem and regional groundwater resources were not given sufficient consideration.Only due to land acquisition problems in the Chahartagh forest area, the tunnel route was changed and the channel was also removed. Consequently, the project was scaled down to comprise only a diversion dam and a 11-kilometre-long tunnel. This is while the geological and environmental risks of the project area were not fully investigated in the selection of the final route. After 484 meters of excavation, the Solaqan fault was encountered and a sudden inrush of water with a flow rate of 100 liters per second and the liquefaction of the excavation front caused the TBM to get stuck. Subsequently, the drainage of water caused the drying of the Aloqareh spring and the depletion of the Shirkoshteh spring, and negative environmental and social consequences for the region. To release the TBM, two side galleries were constructed and grouting and drainage were carried out. Ultimately, the tunnel excavation operation was stopped due to the problems that arose. The challenges that arose in this project indicate the need for a comprehensive study and planning in the selection of the route and TBM, as well as environmental, economic and social assessments at all stages and examining their interaction with each other.
Type of Study:
Case-Study |
Subject:
Engineering Geology Received: 2025/04/14 | Accepted: 2025/11/23 | Published: 2025/12/21