ilisu dam pros and cons
Scheduled for completion in 2014, it is planned to be the biggest hydropower dam in Africa, with more than twice the generating capacity of the Aswan High Dam. [36] This figure excludes vacant settlements, which will also be inundated. It is one of the 22 dams of the Southeastern Anatolia Project and its purpose is hydroelectric power production, flood control and water storage. Among all the Three Gorges Dam pros and cons, its flood control capacity is the most controversial. Ilisu Dam is not only the tip of the iceberg, but it will remain an unfortunate milestone in the history of Iraq's water security. 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. He drained the marshes in the 1980s and 1990s by diverting the Tigris into a giant canal. Iraq hosts hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees as well as millions of internally displaced Iraqis. Thus, the decision whether the construction of a dam is reasonable or not should be made on an individual basis in order to maximize the benefits of as many people as possible. The dam is located on the Tigris river. [45][46], "Ilsu Dam Environmental Impact Assessment", "Court Case Could Slow Turkish Dam Project", "Hima Mesopotamia: Travels in Jordan 2013: Ilusu Dam", "Hima Mesopotamia: Travels in Jordan 2013: Chronology of the Ilusu Dam Project", "Sorrow and hope as dam starts submerging historic town of Hasankeyf", "Turkey starts filling huge Tigris river dam, activists say", "Water volume in Ilisu Dam 5 billion cubic metre", "Cumhurbakan Erdoan aln yapt: Ilsu Baraj'nda elektrik retimi balad", "Turkey starts generating power from controversial Ilisu dam", "Turkey's Ilsu Dam generates $51M for national economy in 3 months", "DSI X. 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. Therefore, also the food production capacities in the respective region will increase substantially, which will be especially important in poor regions where the local population is dependent on the yields of farmers in order to survive. Among others, articles have been cited by NPOs, Wikipedia, Medium.com as well as on several college websites and lifestyle blogs. Another advantage of dams is that they can protect locals from serious floods. Through the construction of dams, also the water flows are often slowed down, which in turn contributes to higher contamination with algae. Advantages of Dams The world is gradually moving towards the clean energy and Electricity holds a major chunk as a source of clean energy. gave a lot of jobs. Additionally, the responsibility of the international community for helping at risk communities maintain access to adequate water supplies cannot be overlooked. The dam has drawn international controversy,[5] because it will flood portions of ancient Hasankeyf and necessitate the relocation of people living in the region. It is one of the 22 dams of the Southeastern Anatolia Project and its purpose is hydroelectric power production, flood control and water storage. l8&D />_&D:RjYb_Lt]5Y4K/M@ =EcMjiGh6)#0m,>S/KQg6y htQ/z|qOuZF}2T]u)L(|joI4-@A6G<. The Turkish government began planning the dam in the 1950s as part of a larger regional development plan, the Southeastern Anatolia Project, which involved constructing 19 hydroelectric plants and 22 dams on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. It would have hamstrung the Iraqi government and allowed the Islamic State to seize even more territory. [23], As part of early and ongoing construction, 52km (32mi) of roads are subject to raising and repairing work. Large dams have led to the extinction of many fish and other aquatic species, the disappearance of birds in floodplains, huge losses of forest, wetland and farmland, erosion of coastal deltas, and many other unmitigable impacts. The fourth chapter examines the water projects that affect the Tigris-Euphrates Basin including controversy surrounding Turkeys most recent filling of the Ilisu dam and the flooding of Hasankeyf. Since it is quite time-intensive to plan those dams, it will also take a quite long time until the construction of dams is finished. Construction of the dam began in 2006 and was originally expected to be completed by 2016. Hydropower dams flood large areas, force people to relocate, threaten freshwater biodiversity, disrupt subsistence fisheries, and leave rivers dry substantially affecting the ecosystem. The third chapter describes the significance of the Mesopotamian Marshes themselves as a harbinger for the well-being of the people of Iraq. Hydroelectric power: Water stored in the dam is used to generate electricity. [20], To avoid inflation and other economic repercussions, the Turkish Government has often sought outside assistance to fund the Ilsu Dam Project. With China's status as the world's largest nation, it needs enough power to sustain its thriving sector, active economic situation, and ever-growing area. In turn, this could lead to a change of nutrient levels in the water and many water organisms may have to adjust to those new conditions or might be forced to move if they do not like those conditions at all. @article{Eberlein2010TheID, title={The Ilisu dam in Turkey and the role of Export Credit Agencies and NGO networks. The monograph is dedicated to Ms. Fadia Daibes Murad (1966-2009); in recognition of the courage, rigor, and dynamic intellect with which she advocated both for fairness in access to water resources and for gender equity in Palestine and the Middle East. 80% of the Xingu will be diverted in all - affects the river further downstream. However, through the use of dams, a high fraction of those rainfalls can be stored in reservoirs, which takes away plenty of water and nearby villages will not have to suffer from floods too much anymore. Excellent Articel by BBC, Web-page 0000000827 00000 n [20] Construction of new Ilsu and Kotepe villages were underway as well as the relocation of major portions of Hasankeyf. [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. 0000050149 00000 n [3][4] As part of the project, the much smaller Cizre Dam is to be constructed downstream for irrigation and power. Storing of waste products (Tailing Dams) 11. Its impact will be mostly felt in the Southern part of the country, located at the downstream end of the Tigris River. However, also the maintenance and supervision related to dams can be significant. Creation of Renewable Energy. 3. It helps with flood control. Pros of the dams 1. As we have seen before, the construction of dams can be quite demanding and time-intensive. 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. Nevertheless, let's see the definition of hydropower. We cannot blame dams for improper rehabilitation. This form holds the poured, reinforced concrete that is the dam itself. 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. The hydroelectric dam will impound the waters of the Tigris, harnessing the water for energy and irrigation purposes through a reservoir roughly the size of 58 and a half American football fields. Hasankeyf is one of the towns along the Tigris that will be completely submerged by the Ilisu Dam. The 1.2 billion dam is to be situated ca. https://www.britannica.com/technology/dam-engineering, https://watershed.ucdavis.edu/shed/lund/dams/Dam_History_Page/History.htm, https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/04/22/science-shows-chinese-dams-devastating-mekong-river/. Pros of hydroelectric power 1. [25] As of April 2014, the project is 60% complete while the resettlement of Hasankeyf is 73% complete. Even in our current age, the transportation of goods on waterways is still of importance in some regions of our planet. The Kurdish Human Rights Project, Friends [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. 2. Dams store water, provide renewable energy and prevent floods. Canto is a digital asset management (DAM) software. The planned Ilisu dam consists of a wall 1.8 km wide and 135 m high, and will create the third largest reservoir in Turkey covering an area of 313 km (IEG, 2005). The building of the Aswan High Dam changed all of . The government is charging them more for the new houses than it is compensating them for the loss of their current homes and farms, so they will be forced to take on debt in the move. The government says the project will generate 10,000 jobs, spur agricultural production through irrigation and boost tourism,[38] although others argue that the tourism industry will be ruined due to the loss of Hasankeyf and that the local people will be forced to move to cities because the amount of money they were given to buy new homes in the region is insufficient. %PDF-1.4 % Because of this, the dam lost international funding in 2008. [17] Ilsu was selected as the preferred site for geological reasons. This monograph argues that international collaboration over transboundary watercourses is imperative for maintaining peace and stability and should force us into thinking of new ways to address these newly emerging and growing challenges in the field. The problem with frequent flooding that threatened the Yangtze delta every summer was eliminated. Ilisu is at present the largest dam project in Turkey's pipeline. The third example outlines the problem of downstream hydro-hegemony in the dispute between Ethiopia and Egypt, its downstream neighbor on the Nile, over the building of Ethiopias Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. 1. This is still the case in many rural areas of our planet. Why did Turkey build the Ilisu Dam? if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'environmental_conscience_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_8',189,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'environmental_conscience_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_9',189,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0_1');.large-mobile-banner-2-multi-189{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}For instance, if there are heavy rainfalls, villages may become flooded in a relatively short period of time and many people might die due to that. How long it really takes depends on the complexity and the size of the project. %%EOF The Ilisu Dam is 440 feet high and a mile wide. Finally, other approaches to managing conflict over ecological conditions are examined including a brief analysis of the Rhine Salt Case and the human right to water recognized by the UN General Assembly in 2010. Description: Planned for hydroelectric power generation purposes in the 1970s, the Southeastern Anatolia Project (in short GAP Project) has evolved into a multi-purpose one with socio-economic/rural development dimensions after the 1980s. This displacement of people had been subject to plenty of discussions in the past. The reservoirs that are created through the construction of dams can also be used for recreational purposes. 4. [10], The first of six generators was commissioned on 19 May 2020, while its power plant is scheduled to reach full capacity by the end of 2020. Ms. The dam's system can control and manage water flow, so it is also serving as an alternative and multi-purpose structure that can produce an enormous amount of power, while at the same time controlling natural disaster. Was 800 feet high. This makes it an effective means of generating a renewable source of energy. Thus, the construction of dams may imply serious problems for fishes and other kinds of aquatic life. Despite the governments assurance that the reservoir will become a center for water sports and tourists will flock to the archeological park, Hasankeyfs residents are deeply concerned about how to earn a living and keep their local economy afloat in the new Hasankeyf. [28][29], The construction reached 96% in June 2017. It uses a free resource. Thus, by using hydropower instead of fossil fuel power plants, we can vastly improve our overall air quality. Turkey's downstream neighbors say the dam will dramatically reduce the flow of the Tigris into Iraq and Syria, pointing to similar declines in river levels that ensued from previous Turkish dams. 0 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. Especially in areas where there is not too much rain, the local population often depends on the water supply from reservoirs in order to get enough drinking water and also to get water for washing and showering purposes. The Ilisu Dam is part of the Southeastern Anatolian Project (GAP) and is currently the largest hydro-power project in Turkey. Hydropower, or water power, is "power derived from the energy of falling water or fast running water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes". Looking into places where dams have already been removed and comparing them to areas of possible dam removal is important when envisioning possibilities. This form of renewable energy is pretty self explanatory. Even though water flows can be controlled quite well due to the construction of dams, it doesnt mean that everyone will profit from these altering opportunities. 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. In general, dams are often quite problematic for aquatic life. For instance, if you live nearby one of those reservoirs, you can go fishing or swimming with your family. It is true that Three Gorges Dam has a great ability to adjust and restore flood with the reservoir capacity of 39.3 billion cubic meters, which could reduce the damage of Yangtze River flood, especially for the section in Hubei. 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