I happened to browse across a news story today which suggests that the Mosul Dam on the Tigris river in Iraq is in imminent danger of collapse. Apparently, a 2006 report by the US Army Corps of Engineers indicated that the foundations of the damn, consisting of a soft gypsum were being eroded and needed constant maintenance. The latest report highlighted in this Washington Post article tells of US fears that the dam may collapse at any moment. It is projected that up to 500,000 people could be killed if the dam were to breach.

Looking at the position of the Dam in Google Earth and assuming I’m seeing the topography correctly, it could cause a flood down the Tigris into Mosul itself (this is presumably where the high potential casualty figure comes from) I assume the US Army are particularly worried about their troops and equipment in the area.

Aside from the potential for direct loss of life, the Dam provides electricity for about 1.7 million Iraqis living in Mosul.

The US Army Corps of Engineers are recommending that the partially completed damn downstream is finished in order to provide a stopgap while the Mosul Dam is repaired.