Monitoring Urmia Shahr- Chai Dam by the Results of Instrument Monitoring after first Impoundment

Safety of a dam depends upon not only design and construction but also on the monitoring at the early years after impoundment. Shahr- Chai Dam is located on the Shahr- Chai river and 12 Km away from Urmia city in the south- west. The construction of dam was ended in winter 2004, and then both of the dam impoundment and monitoring instrument readings were started, immediately. After ending dam construction and the first impoundment, different Phenomenon may appear. This paper presents the general condition of dam by using the results of Piezometers installed in foundation and body part of the dam. On the basis of the Piezometer reading results, after nine months from the first impoundment, When the reservoir level of the dam was maximum, the pressure figure in foundation was recorded as 313.67 KPa and on the core was 109.7 PKa. In the meantime, settlement was recorded 16 cm, approximately. In addition, the results ratifies that the general performance behavior of the Shahr- Chai dam, both in foundation and core, is found to be acceptable. It does not illustrate any hydraulics failure and material inflation Phenomenon, any where.