Ilisu Dam
Encyclopedia
The Ilisu Dam is an embankment dam
under construction on the Tigris River near the village of Ilisu
and along the border of Mardin
and Sirnak Province
s in Turkey
. It is one of the 22 dam
s of the Southeastern Anatolia Project
and its purpose is hydroelectric power production, flood control and water storage. When complete, the dam will support a 1,200 MW power station and will form a 10.4 billion m3 reservoir. Construction of the dam began in 2006 and it is expected to be complete by 2015. The dam has drawn international controversy, because it will flood portions of ancient Hasenkeyf and necessitate the relocation of people living in the region. Because of this, the dam lost international funding in 2008.
has often sought outside assistance to fund the Ilisu Dam Project. However, pressure from environmental and human rights groups have often halted this process. In 2000, the British Government declined $236 million in funding for the Ilisu Dam. Before the 2006 ground-breaking ceremony, German, Swiss and Austrian export credit agencies had agreed to fund $610 million of the project. 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. In June 2009, after failing to meet the standards, the European firms officially cut the funding for the Ilisu Dam Project. Shortly after the announcement of the funding loss, Turkey's Environment Minister Veysel Eroğlu
said “Let me tell you this, these power plants will be built. No one can stop it. This is the decision of the state and the government.” Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
is also committed to the Ilisu Dam Project as well and claims Turkey will use internal or other international funding. Turkey stated that construction would start again in July 2009. In February 2010 it was announced that loans had been granted and the project would continue.
According to KHRP
, completion of the Ilısu Dam will cause the flooding of the ancient city of Hasankeyf
whose history stretches back over 10,000 years. About 185 settlements (villages and hamlets) will be fully or partially affected by flooding. The involuntary resettlement process will involve 55,000-65,000 people (40,000 Turkish Gov't estimates). Census data is not available yet. According to a KHRP report, at least 19 villages have reportedly been evacuated at gunpoint by the Turkish authorities in the reservoir area, and in many cases houses have been burnt to the ground, only a few people being compensated. The KHRP also states that:
The Ilisu Dam is viewed by some as a way to limit PKK movements with its reservoir.
Alternatively, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
, at the ground-breaking ceremony, stated : "The step that we are taking today demonstrates that the south-east is no longer neglected. This dam will bring big gains to the local people." Ankara hopes that the dam - part of a long-term plan to develop the poor, mainly Kurdish region - will create up to 10,000 jobs, irrigate farmlands and attract tourists. The government has promised to compensate local people who will lose their homes and that all the valuable artifacts will be relocated before the dam's completion in 2013.
Embankment dam
An embankment dam is a massive artificial water barrier. It is typically created by the emplacement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil, sand, clay and/or rock. It has a semi-permanent waterproof natural covering for its surface, and a dense, waterproof...
under construction on the Tigris River near the village of Ilisu
Ilisu
İlisu is a village and municipality in the Qakh Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 1,370....
and along the border of Mardin
Mardin Province
Mardin Province is a province of Turkey with a population of 744,606. The population was 835,173 in 2000. The capital of the Mardin Province is Mardin...
and Sirnak Province
Şırnak Province
The Şırnak Province is a Turkish province in southeastern Anatolia. It has a population of 430,109 . The population was 353,197 in 2000....
s in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. It is one of the 22 dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s of the Southeastern Anatolia Project
Southeastern Anatolia Project
The Southeastern Anatolia Project is a multi-sector integrated regional development project based on the concept of sustainable development for the 9 million people living in the Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey...
and its purpose is hydroelectric power production, flood control and water storage. When complete, the dam will support a 1,200 MW power station and will form a 10.4 billion m3 reservoir. Construction of the dam began in 2006 and it is expected to be complete by 2015. The dam has drawn international controversy, because it will flood portions of ancient Hasenkeyf and necessitate the relocation of people living in the region. Because of this, the dam lost international funding in 2008.
Design
The Ilisu Dam will be a 135 m (443 ft) high and 1820 m (5,971 ft) wide embankment dam with a structural volume of 43900000 cubic metre. Its power station will be above ground and will contain 6 x 200 MW generators with an expected annual generation of 3,833 GWh. The dam's reservoir will have a capacity of 10400000000 cubic metre and a surface area of 313 km² (121 sq mi).Background
A study for the dam was made in 1954 and in 1997 it was added to the national plan. On August 5, 2006 the foundation stone for the dam was laid and initial construction began.Funding Issues
To avoid inflation and other economic repercussions, the Turkish GovernmentTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
has often sought outside assistance to fund the Ilisu Dam Project. However, pressure from environmental and human rights groups have often halted this process. In 2000, the British Government declined $236 million in funding for the Ilisu Dam. Before the 2006 ground-breaking ceremony, German, Swiss and Austrian export credit agencies had agreed to fund $610 million of the project. 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. In June 2009, after failing to meet the standards, the European firms officially cut the funding for the Ilisu Dam Project. Shortly after the announcement of the funding loss, Turkey's Environment Minister Veysel Eroğlu
Veysel Eroglu
Prof. Veysel Eroğlu is currently Minister of Environment and Forests of Turkey and a Member of Parliament for Afyonkarahisar of the ruling Justice and Development Party.-Career:...
said “Let me tell you this, these power plants will be built. No one can stop it. This is the decision of the state and the government.” Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 and is chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party , which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Erdoğan served as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He graduated in 1981 from Marmara...
is also committed to the Ilisu Dam Project as well and claims Turkey will use internal or other international funding. Turkey stated that construction would start again in July 2009. In February 2010 it was announced that loans had been granted and the project would continue.
Construction
Since construction began, raising and repairing work on over 52 km (32 mi) of affected roads has begun, of which 9.4 km (6 mi) is complete as of 2011. A 110 m (361 ft) long temporary bridge was constructed upstream of the dam site which is supported by 30 sections of steel pipe. Additionally, a 250 m (820 ft) permanent steel-girder bridge with concrete supports is being constructed just downstream of the dam. Construction of the relocated Ilisu village has also begun as well. As far as the dam structure is concerned, the three river diversion tunnels and foundation work are currently under construction.Controversy
Kurdish Human Rights Project
The Kurdish Human Rights Project is the only non-partisan human rights organisation consistently working in the Kurdish regions of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria and elsewhere...
, completion of the Ilısu Dam will cause the flooding of the ancient city of Hasankeyf
Hasankeyf
Hasankeyf is an ancient town and district located along the Tigris River in the Batman Province in southeastern Turkey. It was declared a natural conservation area by Turkey in 1981...
whose history stretches back over 10,000 years. About 185 settlements (villages and hamlets) will be fully or partially affected by flooding. The involuntary resettlement process will involve 55,000-65,000 people (40,000 Turkish Gov't estimates). Census data is not available yet. According to a KHRP report, at least 19 villages have reportedly been evacuated at gunpoint by the Turkish authorities in the reservoir area, and in many cases houses have been burnt to the ground, only a few people being compensated. The KHRP also states that:
The town is of particular cultural significance to the Kurdish peopleKurdish peopleThe Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
: the delegation found a widespread perception that the GAP project, and Ilısu in particular, is motivated primarily by a desire to destroy the Kurds as an ethnic group by destroying their most important cultural sites.
The Ilisu Dam is viewed by some as a way to limit PKK movements with its reservoir.
Alternatively, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 and is chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party , which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Erdoğan served as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He graduated in 1981 from Marmara...
, at the ground-breaking ceremony, stated : "The step that we are taking today demonstrates that the south-east is no longer neglected. This dam will bring big gains to the local people." Ankara hopes that the dam - part of a long-term plan to develop the poor, mainly Kurdish region - will create up to 10,000 jobs, irrigate farmlands and attract tourists. The government has promised to compensate local people who will lose their homes and that all the valuable artifacts will be relocated before the dam's completion in 2013.
See also
- Ilısu Dam CampaignIlisu Dam CampaignThe Ilısu Dam Campaign is a UK based campaign working to stop the construction of the Ilısu Dam on the river Tigris in south east Turkey. The construction plans for the dam would lead to the flooding of about 300 square kilometers and would displace between 25,000 and 78,000 people, in the...
- List of power stations in Turkey
- Southeastern Anatolia ProjectSoutheastern Anatolia ProjectThe Southeastern Anatolia Project is a multi-sector integrated regional development project based on the concept of sustainable development for the 9 million people living in the Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey...
External links
- Official GAP web site – English
- International Ilisu Dam Campaign
- Ilisu Hydroelectric Project on PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
- Nature Association (Doga Dernegi) page on Ilisu/Hasankeyf