The Water Resources Engineering Department at the College of Engineering, University of Baghdad, held a public defense on Monday, September 7, 2026, for the Master’s thesis submitted by M.Sc. student Israa Abdul Jabbar Shakir, entitled:
“Impact of Water Level Fluctuations on Stability of Small Earth Dams”
The thesis defense was held in the Discussion Hall of the Water Resources Engineering Department, in the presence of several faculty members, researchers, and postgraduate students.
The discussion committee consisted of Prof. Dr. Haider Abdul-Amir Khudair, Chair, and members Prof. Dr. Jamal Makki and Assist. Prof. Dr. Zuhair Kadhim Jahan Keir. The thesis was supervised by Assist. Prof. Maisam Thamer and Prof. Dr. Riyadh Zuhair.
The study aimed to investigate the impact of changes and fluctuations in water levels on the stability of small earth dams by simulating annual water-level variations in the Al-Wand River and analyzing seepage behavior, the phreatic line, and pore-water pressures within the dam body and its foundation. The study also evaluated slope stability under different operational conditions.
The researcher employed numerical modeling using SEEP/W to analyze seepage behavior in the Al-Wand Earth Dam. The results demonstrated the high efficiency of the adopted models in representing field conditions, with coefficients of determination (R²) ranging from approximately 0.93 to 0.94, while model efficiencies ranged between 95.37% and 98.17%. These results confirm the effectiveness of numerical modeling in assessing seepage behavior and the stability of earth dams.
The findings also revealed a clear influence of seasonal variations and rapid drawdown of water levels on seepage behavior, emphasizing the importance of considering water-level fluctuations when assessing the safety of earth dams and developing appropriate operation and maintenance plans.
The study recommended expanding the use of numerical modeling and integrating it with statistical methods and artificial intelligence techniques. It also recommended establishing long-term digital databases for monitoring seepage, pore-water pressures, and reservoir water levels, as well as investigating the effects of climate change on dam stability. In addition, the study highlighted the potential use of remote sensing technologies for monitoring deformations and changes in dam structures.
At the conclusion of the defense, following the student’s presentation and the committee’s discussion of her thesis, the committee recommended awarding M.Sc. student Israa Abdul Jabbar Shakir the Master’s degree with a Very Good (High) grade, wishing her continued success and achievement in her academic and research career.
