The lake
Among the hills.
Alan Farhadi from Erbil - Hawler, Kurdistan - Iraq — CC BY 2.0 · Levi Clancy — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Levi Clancy — CC0 · Ahmadkurdi44 — CC0 · Levi Clancy — CC BY-SA 4.0
Duhok Dam is an earth-fill dam on the Duhok river just north of the city, its lake ringed by bare and green mountains. It has become one of the favourite outing spots for people in Duhok, above all on spring and summer evenings. The dam was completed in 1988 to supply water for irrigation. It is 60 metres tall and its lake holds about 52 million cubic metres of water. In recent years water sports such as jet skis have grown on the lake, bringing more visitors and income to the surrounding villages. The blue lake stretches between stepped rocky slopes, and the colours of the hills change with the light, brown in summer and green in spring. Cafés, restaurants and places to sit line its shores, and from the top of the dam you see the lake on one side and the valley and city on the other. Walking trails start nearby into the surrounding hills. Central Duhok is about 5 km away in a straight line, and Delal Bridge in Zakho about 40 km. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all but essential travel to this area, so check official guidance before planning.
Among the hills.
Views both ways.
Lakeside cafés.
Just north of Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
In spring when the hills are green, or on summer evenings.
Ask locally, as some parts are not meant for swimming.