Part 7/15:
Mega projects, like the Gand Dam on the Karun River completed in 2011, have caused salinity problems and environmental degradation, further impoverishing agricultural regions. Iran’s dam count grew from 316 in 2012 to over 647 by 2018, but these are largely ineffective at conserving water—leakages, outdated infrastructure, and corruption have rendered much of the system inefficient.