The Şırnak Dam is a gravity dam on the Ortasu River (a tributary of the Hezil River) about 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Şırnak town in Şırnak Province, southeast Turkey. Under contract from Turkey's State Hydraulic Works, AGE Inşaat began construction on the dam in 2008 and it was completed in 2012.[3]

Şırnak Dam
Şırnak Dam is located in Turkey
Şırnak Dam
Location of Şırnak Dam in Turkey
CountryTurkey
LocationŞırnak, Şırnak Province
Coordinates37°26′28.69″N 42°44′01.44″E / 37.4413028°N 42.7337333°E / 37.4413028; 42.7337333
PurposeWater supply, military
StatusOperational
Construction began2008
Opening date2012
Construction costUS$31,680,000 (TL49,500,000)[1]
Owner(s)State Hydraulic Works
Dam and spillways
Type of damGravity, roller-compacted concrete
ImpoundsOrtasu River
Height56.8 m (186 ft)
Height (foundation)66.8 m (219 ft)
Length198 m (650 ft)
Elevation at crest811.80 m (2,663 ft)
Width (crest)8 m (26 ft)
Dam volume157,000 m3 (205,348 cu yd)
Spillway typeUncontrolled overflow
Spillway capacity919 m3/s (32,454 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Catchment area398.3 km2 (154 sq mi)
Power Station
Turbines2 x 2.5 MW (planned)
Installed capacity5 MW (planned)[2]

The reported purpose of the dam is water storage and it can also support a 5 MW hydroelectric power station in the future.[4] Another purpose of the dam which has been widely reported in the Turkish press is to reduce the freedom of movement of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants. Blocking and flooding valleys near the Iraq–Turkey border is expected to help curb cross-border PKK smuggling and deny caves in which ammunition can be stored. A total of 11 dams along the border; seven in Şırnak Province and four in Hakkâri Province were implemented for this purpose. In Şırnak they are the Silopi Dam downstream of the Şırnak Dam on the Hezil River and upstream is the Uludere, Balli, Kavşaktepe, Musatepe and Çetintepe Dams on the Ortasu River. In Hakkari are the Gölgeliyamaç (since cancelled) and Çocuktepe Dams on the Güzeldere River and the Aslandağ and Beyyurdu Dams on the Bembo River.[5][6][7][8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Sirnak Dam construction tender". DGMarkets. 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  2. ^ "Şırnak Dam Final Design Project". ESER. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  3. ^ "ŞIRNAK DAM CONSTRUCTION, ŞIRNAK" (in Turkish). AGE Construction. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  4. ^ "DSI 10 REGIONAL OFFICE - Diyarbakir" (in Turkish). State Hydraulic Works. Archived from the original on 21 November 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  5. ^ "Terror Down" (in Turkish). Posta. 24 August 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  6. ^ "Planned to be completed in the second dam on the border against the PKK" (in Turkish). Hurriyet. 26 October 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  7. ^ "Dams Prevent Smuggling at the Border" (in Turkish). Aktif Haber. 5 May 2013. Archived from the original on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  8. ^ "Water retention dams began operation against PKK" (in Turkish). CNNTurk. 23 August 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2013.