Morocco's plans to expand its water storage capacity through the construction of a series of dams across the North African country have made important steps in recent times. The Directorate of Hydraulic Developments (DAH) of the Ministry of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water, awarded contracts to local contractors in October and November for the construction of two new large dams and the heightening of an existing large dam, while also launching a tender for the building of a further dam. The dams are among more than 20 large water storage structures that are planned to be built within the framework of the 2020-2027 national programme for drinking water supply and irrigation. The programme aims to increase the water storage capacity of national dams to 27 × 10~9 m~3. The four dams are among five for which construction was scheduled to go ahead this year at a combined cost of around MAD 7 billion (US$ 755.75 million). Bids were invited in October for the construction of the Tamri dam in the southern coastal province of Agadir, the last of the five dams to be launched this year. The Tamri dam, at an estimated cost of around MAD 1.8 billion (USS 193.4 million), will create a reservoir with a storage capacity of around 300 × 10~6 m~3. Construction began earlier this year on the Oued Al-Khder dam in the central province of Azilal.
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