The Al Massira Dam is a gravity dam located 70 kilometres (43 mi) south of Settat on the Oum Er-Rbia River in Settat Province , Morocco . Completed in 1979, the dam provides water for the irrigation of over 100,000 hectares (250,000 acres) of farmland in the Doukkala region. The dam's hydroelectric power plant also generates 221 gigawatt-hours (800 TJ) on average annually. The power station was commissioned in 1980. Just north of the dam is a rip rap saddle dam that supports water elevation in the reservoir.
5-457: The dam's reservoir and wetlands were designated as a Ramsar site in 2005. The wetlands have also been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because they support significant populations of wintering waterbirds , including ruddy shelducks , marbled teals , northern shovelers and gull-billed terns . In 2024 analysis of satellite images of the dam by the BBC revealed
10-609: A dam, floodgate or canal in Africa is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Ramsar site A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention , also known as "The Convention on Wetlands", an international environmental treaty signed on 2 February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran , under the auspices of UNESCO . It came into force on 21 December 1975, when it
15-496: The reservoir, had dried-up. Reduced snowfall at higher altitude had also contributed to less meltwater flowing into the streams feeding the dam. In August 2023 Morocco recorded a record highest-ever temperature of 50.4C which caused an increase in evaporation, adding to a reduction in water's level. This article about a building or structure in Morocco is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about
20-467: The volume of water was 3% of the amount present nine years previously. The country had suffered from six consecutive years of drought. The Moroccan water ministry told the BBC that use of the dam's water for irrigating farmland had been suspended since 2021, the water being reserved for supplying cities such as Casablanca and Marrakesh . Many of the springs in the Middle Atlas mountains , which feed
25-551: Was ratified by a sufficient number of nations. It provides for national action and international cooperation regarding the conservation of wetlands, and wise sustainable use of their resources. Ramsar identifies wetlands of international importance, especially those providing waterfowl habitat . As of October 2024 , there are 2,521 Ramsar sites around the world, protecting 257,317,367 hectares (635,845,060 acres), and 172 national governments are participating. The non-profit organisation Wetlands International provides access to
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