SMRTR TechMay 19, 2026Practical Engineering

Fixing the Most Dangerous Dam in the World

SMRTR summary

Mosul Dam in northern Iraq was built in the 1980s on gypsum rock, which dissolves in water, causing constant seepage and sinkholes beneath the structure. Decades of political turmoil, ISIS occupation, and failed repair attempts pushed it to near-catastrophic failure risk. A $500 million Italian-led rehabilitation project completed in 2019 drilled 5,000 boreholes and injected 41,000 cubic meters of grout, significantly stabilizing the dam but requiring permanent ongoing maintenance.

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