Therefore, depending on the region and the energy production potential, the construction of dams may also not make too much sense from an economic perspective. Also the construction costs for dams are significant. Three examples of conflict over transboundary watercourses, one historical and two current, are then provided in order to illuminate some of the barriers to collaboration. The Ilisu dam, part of the Southeast Anatolian project (Gap) and one of Turkey's largest hydroelectric projects to date, has been mired in controversy ever since it was first drafted in 1954 . 1. Risk of Flood. Due to the control over water flows through the construction of dams, we can also significantly increase the yields of farmers. In December 2008, the European firms suspended funds for the dam and gave Turkey a 180-day period to comply with over 150 international standards. These experts may also be quite rare and municipalities may have a hard time finding the right staff to operate those dams, especially in regions where education levels are rather low. 0000000016 00000 n At our current point in time, the construction of dams can cost many billions of USD since it involves the use of large amounts of material. Hasankeyf is one of the towns along the Tigris that will be completely submerged by the Ilisu Dam. It is located on the Tigris river in South-East Anatolia, 65 km upstream of the Syrian and Iraqi border. Generally, the pros outweigh the cons for hydropower because unlike solar or wind, water can be relied on 24/7. Advantages of Dams The world is gradually moving towards the clean energy and Electricity holds a major chunk as a source of clean energy. In 1930, Turkey started its plans to construct the Ilisu Dam, and in late 2006, the Turkish government laid the foundation stone, only 50 km away from the Iraqi and about 45 km from the Syrian border. It can trigger frequent earthquakes, however, modern planning and design of dams have reduced the possibility of occurrence of certain disasters. The government, controversially, has started moving Hasankeyfs monuments out of the flood zone by hoisting them onto flatbed trucks and driving them to a nearby archeological park. This picture taken on February 23 shows an aerial view of the Ilisu dam which will flood 199 villages and the ancient town of Hasankeyf, in Turkey's. Why is the Ilisu dam being built? Many fishes might even die since they do not get enough oxygen anymore. On the one hand, plenty of work is needed in order to plan and construct a dam. Ilisu is Turkeys last major planned dam on the Tigris, and it has been controversial from the start. Built during the great depression. [3][4] As part of the project, the much smaller Cizre Dam is to be constructed downstream for irrigation and power. This is motivating a substantial land. [30][31] In February 2018, construction on the dam was completed. 80% of the Xingu will be diverted in all - affects the river further downstream. Why is the dam being built? The Ilisu Dam, completed as part of Turkey's Gneydou Anadolu Projesi (Southeasternanatolian Development Project or GAP for short in Turkish) in 2019, has faced heavy criticism from both local as well as international observers and downstream countries on the Tigris. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Dams are used for a variety of purposes, including the generation of hydroelectric power, irrigation, flood control, and the provision of water for domestic and industrial use. In Turkeys Kurdish-dominated southeast, where Ilisu will inundate 300 historical sites and displace between 25,000 and 75,000 people, many people perceive the project as an effort to exert more control over the natural resources in the region and, by extension, the people who live near them and rely on them. 0000000616 00000 n 1. It's flooding was predictable, provided farmers with resources, and was often the only source of irrigation. [28][29], The construction reached 96% in June 2017. This displacement of people had been subject to plenty of discussions in the past. Ilisu-Wasserkraft.com (e,d). The building of large dams can cause serious changes to the earths surface and lead to geological damage. The project is extremely controversial for a variety of political, social, environmental, economic, and archeological reasons. [26], In 2014, the dam, as well as others in southeast Turkey such as the Silvan Dam, became a prime target of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants after peace talks collapsed with the government. Dams have a variety of purposes, including energy generation, irrigation purposes, the creation of habitats for the local flora and fauna or the construction of reservoirs for leisure activities. The Ilsu Dam (Turkish pronunciation:[su]) is a concrete-face rock-fill dam on the Tigris near the village of Ilsu and along the border of Mardin and rnak Provinces in Turkey. It will submerge 313 square kilometres of land, an area the size of Malta.5 Figure 1: The ilisu Dam siTe Ilisu Dam site What are the pros and cons of building dams? All works are expected to be completed in 2015. For instance, if you live nearby one of those reservoirs, you can go fishing or swimming with your family. For instance, fishes often have to travel quite long distances upstream in order to mate. 0000006841 00000 n List of the Advantages of Dams 1. In many cases, the construction of large dams also implies significant deforestation. Extensive hydropower production 2. The building of the Aswan High Dam changed all of . 3) Can be Challenging to Maintain. 2. Another problem with the construction of dams is that in some cases, many people have to give up their homes and move to other locations. The second chapter is an overview of the Tigris-Euphrates river basin including its hydro-geography, climate and early history of water use. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'environmental_conscience_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_7',188,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');This can lead to serious problems since in case of droughts, people may be quite helpless since they might not have enough water to survive without reservoirs from dams. campaign, Switzerland, HERMES if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'environmental_conscience_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_6',146,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');Thus, during the week, there will be not much time for relaxing and it may therefore be especially important for those people to leave the city on weekends and to enjoy their time at those recreational reservoirs in order to relax and get back some mental power in order to stay healthy in the long run. It would need 12m rise to achieve the maximum storage level. [21] In February 2010, it was announced that loans had been granted and the project would continue. The history and ecology of the Tigris-Euphrates Basin, and the issues surrounding Turkeys recent impoundment of water behind the Ilisu Dam on the Tigris, provide an example highlighting such challenges. [41] Such impacts which might lead to the drainage of the Mesopotamian Marshes and destruction of its ecology system,[42][43] were part of the reasons to the emergence of a new wave of Iraqi protests, along with several other issues, especially in Basra Governorate. Thus, dams can also be an important economic factor, which can vastly increase the income of municipalities as well as for many small businesses. One of the more perilous side effects of climate change is its threat to the water supply of hundreds of millions of people. When operational, the dam will support a 1,200 MW power station and will form a 10.4 billion m3 reservoir. Hydropower, or water power, is "power derived from the energy of falling water or fast running water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes". The following story is part of series on Turkey's Ilisu Dam project and the flooding of Hasankeyf. [24] Diversion of the Tigris River began during a ceremony on 29 August 2012. %PDF-1.4 % Dams have been used in the history of mankind for a quite long time for irrigation purposes. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'environmental_conscience_com-leader-2','ezslot_11',190,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-leader-2-0');Thus, many jobs can be created through the construction of dams, which may be especially beneficial in areas where people suffer from high unemployment rates and urgently search for jobs in order to survive. Together with a severe drought that has afflicted the region for the past decade, this decline in the quantity and quality of Tigris River water is expected to strangle Iraqi agriculture and hobble the recovery of the Mesopotamian Marshes, vast wetlands in southern Iraq where Sumerian civilization began. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'environmental_conscience_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_16',196,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0'); For instance, nothing is perfect and through construction or maintenance mistakes, dams can eventually break. 1) Displace a Significant Number of People. What is advantage and disadvantage of dam? Its power station will be above ground and will contain 6 x 200 MW Francis turbine-generators with an expected annual generation of 3,833 GWh and gross hydraulic head of 122.6m (402ft). If people are dependent on the water supply from reservoirs and dams, chances are that politicians will gain great power over them, which may lead to unpleasant outcomes in the long run if the government has the wrong intentions. Advantages of hydropower 1. Pros: 1. From the previous analysis, it has become clear that there are many upsides related to dams and that they can be quite important and useful in certain regions. By using dams for energy production, the air is not polluted and also greenhouse gas emissions will be lower compared to the energy production with fossil fuels. Controlling waterways. How has the dam affected people downstream in Iraq? Declassified satellite imagery reveals a now-inundated village, Koctepe, just above the location of the Ilisu Dam. REGIONAL OFFICE - DYARBAKIR - Mardin Office", "Ilsu Dam and Hydroelectric Power Plant", "Ilsu Dam and Hydroelectric Power Plant be completed in 2014", "Turkey says to continue Ilisu dam project Erdogan said the construction of a dam and", "Andritz Hydro to equip Ilisu hydropower project in Turkey", "Turkey's Biggest Dam Project Victim of Faltering Peace", "workers threatened the PKK bloody executions", "Supply convoy for Ilsu Dam attacked: 3 injured", "lsu Baraj ve HES'in yzde 96's tamamland", "How archaeologists discovered an ancient Assyrian city and lost it again", "Ilsu Dam poised to start power generation in February", "Ilsu Baraj'nda enerji retimine balanyor", "Turkey halts filling Tigris dam after Iraq complains of water shortages", "Turkey dam sparks renewed water shortage panic in Iraq", "Ilisu Dam crisis proves the failure of Iraq's successive governments", "Turkey's Dam-Building Spree Continues, At Steep Ecological Cost", "Tigris-Euphrates River Ecosystem: A Status Report", "Iraq Wheat Farmers May Slash Plantings as Turks Fill New Dam", "Exclusive - Water shortages to cut Iraq's irrigated wheat area by half", "Wheat and barley shortage devastates Iraq", "Rare Footage of Ilsu: The Dam That Will Flood Homes and History Across Southern Turkey", Nature Association (Doga Dernegi) page on Ilisu/Hasankeyf, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ilsu_Dam&oldid=1134577597, This page was last edited on 19 January 2023, at 10:32. 0000000827 00000 n TR. Three decades of conflict between the Turkish government and the PKK has resulted in the depopulation of many hamlets in the area, and so now their original inhabitants will never be able to return home either, in addition to the others who still live in the region. Controllable water flows 9. Dams might be thought of the structures that grant us with some form of protection from the flood, however, in the case of this structure's failure, overwhelming consequences results for the communities in the downstream, leading to the loss of thousands of life and property. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. [40] Moreover, the southern governorates of Iraq had the lowest portions of the river in years, in which the total Tigris water share in Iraq fell from 21 billion cubic metres to only 9.7 billion cubic metres instead. l8&D />_&D:RjYb_Lt]5Y4K/M@ =EcMjiGh6)#0m,>S/KQg6y htQ/z|qOuZF}2T]u)L(|joI4-@A6G<. 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