The Karun-3 dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Karun river in the province of Khuzestan, Iran. It was built to help meet Iran's energy demands as well as to provide flood control.^[2] The Karun has the highest discharge of Iran's rivers.

The purpose of the dam is for power generation and flood control. The Karun III power generators are connected to the national power network as the peak power generation. With this power plant being operated, with the capacity of 2,280 MW, and an average annual electric power generation of 4,137 GWh, a major portion of the electric power shortage in the country will be met.

The Karun-3 dam is a concrete double arch type, 205 m (673 ft) high from the foundation and 185 m (607 ft) high from the river bed. Its foundation width is 29.5 m (97 ft).

The arch dam design is an ideal one for a dam built in a narrow, rocky gorge to hold back water in a reservoir. Because of the arch shape, the force of the backed up water presses downward against the dam and has the effect of strengthening the dam foundation.

Karun-3 Dam
Locale	Khuzestan, Iran
Opening date	2005
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Arch dam
Height	205 m (673 ft)
Length	462 m (1,516 ft)
Base width	29.5 m (97 ft)
Impounds	Karun River
Spillway capacity	15,000 m3/s (530,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Capacity	2,970,000,000 m3 (2,410,000 acre·ft)
Surface area	48 km2 (19 sq mi)
Power station
Type	No
Installed capacity	2,280 MW
Annual generation	4,137 GWh