PAGE A2 – February 2009 – The GTA Construction Report
Afghanistan project ready for next phase
MATTHEW DESROSIERS – The GTA Construction Report
The Governor of Kandahar, Mr. Tooryalai Wesa stands with the Honourable
Beverley J. Oda, The Minister of International Cooperation and Mr. Ismaïl Najjar,
Despite all the turmoil in the Middle fundamentally an agricultural economy, and
President and Founder of Hydrosult Inc. at the Dahla Dam.
East, there is good news coming out of so our hope is to develop the agricultural
Afghanistan for a change. system to stabilize the economy.”
On January 11, the Honourable Beverley To that end, the project’s second compo-
J. Oda, Minister of International Coopera- nent is to work with the government insti-
tion, launched the next phase of Canada’s tutions responsible for maintaining the
Dahla Dam Signature Project from system and controlling the distribution of
Arghandab Valley in Kandahar. Tooryalai water to develop their capacity to maintain
Wesa, Governor of Kandahar, and represen- the system once it’s been fixed.
tatives of the SNC-Lavalin/Hydrosult joint The third, and most important, compo-
venture joined her to announce SNC- nent is to work with the farmers themselves
Lavalin and Hydrosult as the firms selected to provide training and capacity building in
to lead repair efforts on the dam. water management and cropping tech-
“I am pleased that the rehabilitation of niques, said Ruel.
the Dahla Dam is now underway because The dam was originally built to provide
this is one of Canada’s most significant con- irrigation to 80,000 hectares of land. The
tributions to the Afghan people,” she said. appraisal team determined that due to a lack
Chantal Ruel, the Dahla Dam project of maintenance and a 30 per cent loss of ca-
manager, said the project has three essential pacity in the reservoir due to silt build-up,
farmers on water management. They also “We have some local partners here that
components. the dam is only providing irrigation for
want to work with them to improve irriga- we have been working with to get those ac-
“Firstly, our intention is to conduct ur
tion and cropping techniques, improve seed tivities in place before the large contractor
- 40,000 hectares.
gent repairs and rehabilitation of the irriga
varieties to give them options for higher appears. Some partners we’ve been work-
- “We’re confident that by restoring func-
tion itself, including the dam and canal tionality of the system, we can bring some
value crops such as pomegranates, apricots ing with for several years.”
systems,” she said. “These were built 60 of that arid land back into cultivation.”
and grapes, and help with questions about Ruel has been part of the project for just
years ago and haven’t been maintained in When the three-year project is complete
access to markets. over a year, and has been in Kandahar since
any way since then. There are some urgent at the end of 2011, the repairs will have in-
“They’re going to be able to identify January. She said she is looking forward to
repairs that need to be done to restore the creased the amount of irrigated land by an
some very specific interventions that they the next phase of the project, and happy to
functionality (of the dam).” additional 10,000 hectares. This falls short
can come up with,” said Ruel. be working with SNC-Lavalin and Hydro-
Although a project appraisal team of hy- of the dam’s maximum capacity
Traditionally known as Afghanistan’s sult. Both are Canadian companies.
.
drology, agriculture and engineering experts “Over the long term, there will need to
breadbasket, helping the province improve “Of the bids we received during the RFP
found the structure of the dam to be intact, be efforts to increase the capacity of the
its irrigation will have an impact on the en- process, we were confident that SNC-
the mechanical and technical engineering reservoir by building a new dam, raising the
tire nation. Lavalin and Hydrosult were the most qual-
components of the dam are severely eroded. dam, or de-silting the reservoir, but that’
“That’s why this is one of the most im- ified bidders.”
s a
Parts of the system, such as a massive more long-term effort,” said Ruel.
portant projects we could do here in SNC-Lavalin has extensive worldwide
Afghanistan,” said Ruel. “It’s why the gov- experience with irrigation systems and in-
emergency gate or a series of valves that The report suggests it could take nine or
control the flow of water through the dam, 10 years to restore the reservoir
ernment of Afghanistan has been asking us frastructure.
.
are either not reliable or don’t work at all. This is why training the province’s farm-
for support, and why it’s a signature proj- “We’re very proud to be part of this proj-
One such valve, used to measure and con- ers on water allocation, distribution, and
ect.” ect,” said Gillian MacCormack, vice presi-
trol the flow of water on a weekly and water management is so important, she said.
The government of Canada is providing dent of global public relations with the
monthly basis, can now only be operated The current system has a very high rate
the $50 million budget for the project, while Montreal-based company. “We’re very
once or twice a year, said Ruel. of inefficiency. Estimates are that an addi-
the Afghanistan government fulfills its own proud to be part of a project that is going to
“It’s reduced the capacity to control the tional 30 per cent water loss is incurred due
commitments in terms of staff and other go towards improving the lives of hundreds
flow of water, which has resulted in longer to inefficient irrigation technologies and
contributions. of people who live in the area, obviously by
dry spells for Kandaharis,” she said. techniques. For example, farmers irrigate
“We’re confident that the government of moving towards providing them with some
With 80 per cent of Kandahar
Afghanistan, both in Kabul and here in kind of livelihood.”
’s popula- their fields by lifting a gate and allowing the
tion living along the irrigation system that water to flood them, as opposed to using
Kandahar, and the community leaders, are MacCormack said her company has
is fed by the dam, this project is absolutely more controlled methods.
committed to this. The irrigation system is been working in other areas of Afghanistan
critical, she explained. When SNC-Lavalin and Hydrosult ar
the lifeblood of Kandahar.” for a while now, and is very comfortable
-
“By providing a more reliable and stable rive in Kandahar, they will conduct a need
The project will also create 10,000 sea- working there.
supply of water, we are benefiting 80 per assessment. Apart from the repairs, their re-
sonal jobs in the local economy. “We’re pleased to have the opportunity
cent of Kandahar’s population. Kandahar is sponsibilities include working with the
Working in war-torn nation has its chal- to carry out this project in Afghanistan.”
lenges, however, including the obvious se- Ruel said the partnership between SNC-
curity issues. Lavalin and Hyrdosult is perfect for this
“It’s undeniable that that’s one of the project.
challenges,” said Ruel. “We’ve been work- “Hydrosult brings a very particular ex-
ing really closely with the Canadian Forces pertise to this project that we think really
since the beginning of the project to ensure fills out the technical capacity SNC-Lavalin
their support is there to provide an enabling has. Hydrosult is going to be working more
and secure environment.” on the institution-building and agricultural
They also work closely with the Afghan development side of the project.”
National Security Forces and Coalition Both companies will be in Kandahar this
Forces in the area. month to develop their implementation
The safety of the project is guaranteed at plans. Once that is complete, Ruel hopes
the local level because of the benefits it will they will be ready to begin within the next
have once completed, she said. Everyone is few months.
committed to the success of the project, “This is a really exciting project,” she
from the government all the way down to said. “This is possibly the most important
the locals. project that we, in the government of
The project is already underway, with Canada, could be supporting in the Kanda-
workers improving access roads and build- har province. We’re excited and committed
ing a new bridge to enable heavy equipment to it, and we’re pleased that the activities
to get to the dam. can begin.”
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