Çoruh River
Encyclopedia
The Çoruh River or Ch'orokhi River ( ch'orokhi, , , Tchorokh, , Akampsis) rises in the Mescit Mountains in north-eastern Turkey
, flows through the cities of Bayburt
, Ispir
, Yusufeli
, and Artvin
, along the Kelkit
-Çoruh Fault, before flowing into Georgia
, where it reaches the Black Sea
just south of Batumi
and a few kilometers north of the Turkish-Georgian border.
In Arrian
's Periplus Ponti Euxini, it is called the Άκαμψις Acampsis; Pliny
may have confused it with the Bathys. In English, it was formerly known as the Boas, the Churuk, or the Chorokh.
as a biodiversity hotspot. The Çoruh Valley is recognised by Turkish conservation organisations as an important plant area, an important bird area, a key biodiversity area and has been nominated as a high priority area for protection. This valley is rich in plants and contains 104 nationally threatened plant species of which 67 are endemic to Turkey.
by the Eastern Anatolia Tourism Development Project. It attracts kayakers and rafters from all over the world and was the site of the 2005 Coruh Extreme kayak competition.
) and Yusufeli Dam
, just upstream is in its final planning phase.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, flows through the cities of Bayburt
Bayburt
Bayburt is a city in northeast Turkey lying on the Çoruh River, and is the provincial capital of Turkey's Bayburt Province.Bayburt was once an important center on the ancient Silk Road and it was visited by Marco Polo and Turkish excursionist Evliya Celebi. Remains of its Byzantine castle still...
, Ispir
Ispir
İspir is a town and district of Erzurum Province in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey, on the Çoruh River. The mayor is Osman Çakır . The district has a population of 30260 while the town has a population of 11789.-History:...
, Yusufeli
Yusufeli
Yusufeli is a town and district of Artvin Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. It is located on the bank of Çoruh River 104 km south-west of the city of Artvin, on the road to Erzurum....
, and Artvin
Artvin
-History:See Artvin Province for the history of the region.-Places of interest:* Artvin or Livana castle, built in 937There are a number of Ottoman Empire houses and public buildings including:* Salih Bey mosque, built in 1792...
, along the Kelkit
Kelkit River
The Kelkit River , is a river in the Black Sea Region of Turkey. It is the longest tributary of the Yeşil River....
-Çoruh Fault, before flowing into Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, where it reaches the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
just south of Batumi
Batumi
Batumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. Sometimes considered Georgia's second capital, with a population of 121,806 , Batumi serves as an important port and a commercial center. It is situated in a subtropical zone, rich in...
and a few kilometers north of the Turkish-Georgian border.
In Arrian
Arrian
Lucius Flavius Arrianus 'Xenophon , known in English as Arrian , and Arrian of Nicomedia, was a Roman historian, public servant, a military commander and a philosopher of the 2nd-century Roman period...
's Periplus Ponti Euxini, it is called the Άκαμψις Acampsis; Pliny
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
may have confused it with the Bathys. In English, it was formerly known as the Boas, the Churuk, or the Chorokh.
Biodiversity
The Çoruh valley lies within the Caucasus ecological zone, which is considered by the World Wild Fund for Nature and by Conservation InternationalConservation International
Conservation International is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, which seeks to ensure the health of humanity by protecting Earth's ecosystems and biodiversity. CI’s work focuses on six key initiatives that affect human well-being: climate, food security, freshwater...
as a biodiversity hotspot. The Çoruh Valley is recognised by Turkish conservation organisations as an important plant area, an important bird area, a key biodiversity area and has been nominated as a high priority area for protection. This valley is rich in plants and contains 104 nationally threatened plant species of which 67 are endemic to Turkey.
Recreation
The Çoruh has been called "an eco-tourism gem" and "Turkey's last remaining wild river", and is being promoted for whitewater kayakingWhitewater kayaking
Whitewater kayaking is the sport of paddling a kayak on a moving body of water, typically a whitewater river. Whitewater kayaking can range from simple, carefree gently moving water, to demanding, dangerous whitewater. River rapids are graded like ski runs according to the difficulty, danger or...
by the Eastern Anatolia Tourism Development Project. It attracts kayakers and rafters from all over the world and was the site of the 2005 Coruh Extreme kayak competition.
Dams
A total of 13 hydro-electric dams are planned as part of the Çoruh River Development Plan but a total of 27 are proposed for the Çoruh River Catchment. Under the Çoruh Development Plan, 2 dams have been completed (Murtli Dam and Tortum Dam), another is under construction (Deriner DamDeriner Dam
Deriner Dam is a concrete double-curved arch dam under construction on the Çoruh River east of Artvin in Artvin Province, Turkey. The main purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production and additionally flood control. Construction on the dam began in 1998 and is estimated to be complete in...
) and Yusufeli Dam
Yusufeli Dam
The Yusufeli Dam is a proposed embankment dam on the Çoruh River near Yusufeli in Artvin Province within the eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. The Yusufeli Dam will be the second largest dam within the larger Çoruh River Development Plan which plans to build 13 dams, of which 2 are operational...
, just upstream is in its final planning phase.
| Dam | Phase |
|---|---|
| Tortum Dam Tortum Dam Tortum Dam is a dam on the Tortum River in Artvin Province, Turkey. The development was backed by the Turkish State Hydraulic Works. The dam was built on a natural landslide near Tortum Waterfall and raises the level of the existing lake for hydroelectric power production.-References:*, State... |
Operational |
| Muratli Dam Muratlı Dam Muratlı Dam is a dam on the Çoruh River in Muratlı village, north east of Borçka in Artvin Province, Turkey. The development was backed by the Turkish State Hydraulic Works.... |
Operational |
| Borçka Dam Borçka Dam Borçka Dam is a dam on the Çoruh River south east of Borçka in Artvin Province, Turkey. It was built between 1999 and 2006.... |
Operational |
| Deriner Dam Deriner Dam Deriner Dam is a concrete double-curved arch dam under construction on the Çoruh River east of Artvin in Artvin Province, Turkey. The main purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production and additionally flood control. Construction on the dam began in 1998 and is estimated to be complete in... |
Under construction |
| Artvin Dam | Planned |
| Yusufeli Dam Yusufeli Dam The Yusufeli Dam is a proposed embankment dam on the Çoruh River near Yusufeli in Artvin Province within the eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. The Yusufeli Dam will be the second largest dam within the larger Çoruh River Development Plan which plans to build 13 dams, of which 2 are operational... |
Planned |
| Olur Dam | Planned |
| Arkun Dam | Planned |
| Aksu Dam | Under construction |
| Güllübağ Dam | Planned |
| Ispir Dam Dam | Planned |
| Laleli Dam | Planned |