Alaköprü Dam () is a

concrete-face rock-fill dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, drinking water, human consumption, Indust ...

on the Anamur (Dragon) Creek in

Anamur Anamur is a municipality and district of Mersin Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,430 km2, and its population is 66,846 (2022). It is the westernmost district of that province, bordering on Antalya Province. Anamur contains Anatolia's southernm ...

district of

Mersin Province Mersin Province (), formerly İçel Province (), is a Provinces of Turkey, province and Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality in southern Turkey, on the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast between Antalya Province, A ...

, southern

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

. The development is backed by the Turkish State Hydraulic Works (DSİ). The dam was primarily built as part of the Northern Cyprus Water Supply Project, to supply water for

drinking Drinking is the act of ingesting water or other liquids into the body through the mouth, proboscis, or elsewhere. Humans drink by swallowing, completed by peristalsis in the esophagus. The physiological processes of drinking vary widely among ...

and

irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering of plants) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has bee ...

Northern Cyprus Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a ''de facto'' state that comprises the northeastern portion of the Geography of Cyprus, island of Cyprus. It is List of states with limited recognition, recognis ...

. Preliminary construction on the dam began on November 2, 2010 and the official groundbreaking took place on March 7, 2011. After the completion of the long diversion tunnel, construction of the dam started on August 9, 2012 with placement of the foundation. The dam was completed on schedule, on March 7, 2014 but its reservoir did not begin to collect water until February 2015. The dam's 26 MW hydroelectric power station is expected to be commissioned in 2015. Up to water from the dam's reservoir, which makes more than half of its capacity, will be transferred to

Geçitköy Dam The Geçitköy Dam (Greek: Φράγμα της Πάναγρας) is a rock-fill dam on the Mandara River about west of the town of Lapithos in Cyprus. The dam is located in the ''de facto'' territory of Northern Cyprus. It was originally completed ...

in Northern Cyprus via an pipeline crossing the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...

under depth. Part of the populated places in the area such as the villages of

Sarıağaç Sarıağaç is a neighbourhood in the municipality and district of Anamur, Mersin Province, Turkey. Its population is 180 (2022). It is situated in the Toros Mountains, north of Anamur. It is planned that a part of the village (along with Akine, ...

, Akine,

Çaltıbükü Çaltıbükü is a neighbourhood in the municipality and district of Anamur, Mersin Province, Turkey. Its population is 110 (2022). It is situated in the valley of Dragon creek. The distance to Anamur is . It is planned that a part of the village ( ...

and Ormancık will be submerged in the reservoir of Alaköprü Dam.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alakopru Dam Dams in Mersin Province Concrete-face rock-fill dams Hydroelectric power stations in Turkey Dams completed in 2014 2014 establishments in Turkey

See also

References