Koohrang 1 Dam is a water canal built to transfer water from Marbar River from Koohrang County in west north of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari to Zayanderud, close to Chelgerd Town of Koohrang District of the same province.
Koohrang 1 Dam is considered as one of the tourism sites of the province. Next to Dimeh Water Spring, Sardab Water Spring, Morvarid Water Spring, Mineral Water, Yakhi Chama Cave, Chelerd ski resort, wonderful village of Sar Aqa Seyyed, Shiekh Ali Khan Waterfall, Plain of Lalehaye Vajgoon or Overturned tulips, it is crowded especially during spring and in May and June, when the snow has melted, and more tourists are attracted.
The water from this canal, which is fed from Marbar and the heights of Dezkuh, has been one of the sources of Karun River during history. Today it flows into Zayanderud. It should not be left out that these transitions have also created many concerns for environmental researchers.
It was the Sassanid Kings who, for the first time in the history of Iran, tried to make tunnels beginning in Koohrang. Another series of efforts belong to Safavid kings. They also tried transferring water from the resources of Karun River to improve the condition of Zayanderud River in Isfahan. In the middle of Tenth century SH, Tahmasp I ordered for Karkonan Mountain to be dug and a water canal to be built. After him, Shah Abbas decided to link the water from Karun River to Zayanderud. He ordered for the rock stones of Koohrang Mountain Pass to be splitted by the hands of Bakhtiari people in the final years of tenth century SH. The bases of the dam that was built during this time remain today, but the project was not finished due to the death of Shah Abbas.
Finally, it was during Pahlavi dynasty in 1332 SH, that Koohrang 1 Dam, and later after the Iranian Revolution, Koohrang 2 Dam was opened, the latter was built in 1366 SH. The construction of Koohrang 3 Dam, also known as Birgan, began in 1377 SH and was finished in 1396 SH, after twenty years.
