The world's second highest dam - Nurek

In Central Asian countries like Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, which have long been under Soviet rule or under Dictatorship and only now experiencing relative freedom, there are occasions when you ask a question and there is no answer to your query except for a shrug or a different answer.

Same applied to our trip to the Nurek Dam. We were a few days early before we joined our group across these two countries so as we had time to spare we took a trip to see Nurek Dam, on the River Vaksh in Tajikistan. It is the largest earth filled dam and the second tallest dam in the world. Begun in 1961, it was completed by 1980. 

The Nurek Dam was constructed by the Soviet Union and is uniquely constructed, with a central core of cement forming an impermeable barrier within a 300 m (980 ft)-high rock and earth fill construction. The volume of the mound is 54 million m³. The dam includes nine hydroelectric generating units, the first commissioned in 1972 and the last in 1979

The dam is located in a deep gorge along the Vaksh River in western Tajikistan, about 75 km (47 mi) east of the nation's capital of Dushanbe. There is a pleasant tree lined township near the dam, also called Nurek, houses engineers and other workers employed at the dam's power plant.

The reservoir created by the dam is the largest reservoir in the country. It is a popular weekend resort for the local population from around Dushanbe and this area. The water fuels the hydro electric plant and is used for irrigation of around 700 sq kms of farmland – transported 14 kms through the Dangara irrigation tunnel. 

It took 90 mins. for us to travel the 60 kms from Dushanbe to Nurek. We had an excellent guide with us who we pumped for information on the country. The drive there was very pleasant – we crossed many kms of vineyards and en route we saw many stalls selling different types of fruit. We bought some grapes from one of these stalls. -

On arrival, we could hear the roar of water before seeing it – it came from a rather large hole in the dam wall – suddenly it just came – a huge wall of water nonstop. It seemed they had opened some gates in the lake to let water go downhill. The water colour was an unbelievable blue. 

As courtesy required and as per law, we stopped to meet the local cop in charge of the security post. We found that the Army were not allowing any visitors as the Chinese and Tajik ministers were visiting (were they ministers ? – I doubt it as they came only in one car and no escorts) so we were told to go back. So, I decided to play upon his ego and started speaking to the Major using my guide as translator. We talked about him, his duties as a soldier, the duration of being a way from family, the toughness of such isolation etc. We shared nuts and grapes which we brought from the car. Eventually, he agreed that we could park the car a bit far from direct view and he would let us know as soon as the VIP’s went. Over an hour passed whilst we sat waiting. Well worth it.

We went through a security gate and climbed right up to the top, 300 metres up. There is an awesome view of the whole dam with the township below. There was just one family in a Mercedes car which showed that this person had some clout to belong up here at the top. The countryside is extremely hilly with grape vineyards everywhere.    We spent some time on the dam site as well as surrounds before returning back to Dushanbe. 

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