Alberta West News: Major Dams on the Tigris River

Ilisu Dam

I now have comprehensive information about the major dams on the Tigris River. Let me compile this into a well-structured report.

Major Dams on the Tigris River

The Tigris River, one of Western Asia's most significant waterways, is regulated by numerous major dams across Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran. These structures serve multiple purposes including hydroelectric power generation, flood control, irrigation, and water storage. The river has been extensively developed, particularly through Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) and Iraq's various water management initiatives.

Turkish Dams on the Tigris

Ilısu Dam represents the largest and most controversial dam on the Tigris River. Located near the village of Ilısu along the border of Mardin and Şırnak Provinces, this concrete-face rock-fill dam stands 135 meters high and 1,820 meters wide. Construction began in 2006 and the dam started filling its reservoir in July 2019, becoming operational in May 2020. With an installed capacity of 1,200 megawatts, it generates approximately 3,833 GWh annually. The reservoir holds 10.4 billion cubic meters of water at full capacity. The dam has sparked significant international controversy by flooding the ancient city of Hasankeyf and displacing over 70,000 people. Studies indicate the dam reduces Tigris River flow to Iraq by up to 56 percent.arabcenterdc+5

Cizre Dam is currently under construction downstream of Ilısu Dam, approximately 4 kilometers northwest of Cizre city. Approved by the Turkish government in August 2023, construction commenced in September 2024 with an expected completion date of 2027. The dam will rise 46 meters and create a reservoir with 381 million cubic meters capacity, making it the second-largest dam on the Tigris in Turkey after Ilısu. It is designed to generate 240 MW of hydroelectric power and irrigate 121,000 hectares of land.wikipedia+1

Dicle Dam is located 50 kilometers from Diyarbakır on the Tigris River, where the Maden and Dibni streams merge. Constructed between 1986 and 1997, the dam stands 75 meters high with a crest length of 307 meters. The rock-fill dam has a reservoir volume of 595 million cubic meters and an installed capacity of 110 MW, producing approximately 298 million kWh annually. In December 2018, one of the dam's three spillway gates broke, causing unprecedented flooding downstream with water levels rising up to 6 meters along a 200-kilometer stretch.savethetigris+2

Kralkızı Dam was built between 1985 and 1997 on Maden Stream, a major tributary of the Tigris, 81 kilometers from Diyarbakır. The clay core rock-fill dam reaches 113 meters in height with a crest length of 1,030 meters. It has a total installed capacity of 94.5 MW with two generators and produces approximately 146 million kWh annually. The reservoir holds 1.934 billion cubic meters at maximum water level covering 57.5 square kilometers.euas+1

Batman Dam was constructed on the Batman River, a major tributary, between 1986 and 1999. This embankment dam stands 74 meters high and 510 meters long. The reservoir has a total capacity of 1.175 billion cubic meters. The associated power plant, commissioned in 1998, features an installed capacity of 160 MW. The dam is designed to irrigate 37,744 hectares.wikipedia

Garzan Dam is an embankment dam on the Garzan River, completed in 2012 and operational since 2013. Located 9 kilometers northeast of Kozluk in Batman Province, it has an installed capacity of 49 MW. The dam's reservoir has a useful storage volume of approximately 110 million cubic meters, with maximum capacity reaching 181 million cubic meters. It is designed to irrigate 40,000 hectares when fully operational.wikipedia+1

Silvan Dam is currently under construction on the Batman River upstream of Batman Dam. Construction began on July 26, 2011, though it was delayed by two years due to attacks by Kurdish militants. The dam features a concrete-face rock-fill design standing 175.5 meters high, making it the highest front-face concrete-covered rockfill dam in Turkey and Europe. It will have an installed capacity of 160 MW and is designed to irrigate 245,000 hectares. The power plant is expected to generate 681 GWh annually.wikipedia+2

Iraqi Dams on the Tigris

Mosul Dam is Iraq's largest dam, located on the Tigris River approximately 60 kilometers northwest of Mosul. Constructed between 1981 and 1986, the earth-fill dam stands 113 meters high and 3.4 kilometers long. At full capacity, it holds 11.1 billion cubic meters of water in Lake Dahuk. The main power station generates 750 MW through four Francis turbines, with an additional 250 MW pumped-storage facility. The dam is notorious for its unstable karst foundation requiring continuous grouting operations since 1986 to prevent catastrophic failure. U.S. officials have warned that a failure could create a 20-meter flood wave reaching Baghdad and potentially killing between 500,000 and 1.47 million people.scirp+3

Badush Dam remains approximately 40 percent complete, with construction halted in 1991 due to economic sanctions. Located 16 kilometers northwest of Mosul, downstream of Mosul Dam, its primary purpose is to provide protection from a potential Mosul Dam failure. If completed, the dam would have a height of 103 meters and reservoir capacity of 10 billion cubic meters. The associated hydroelectric power station would have an installed capacity of 170 MW.wikipedia+3

Samarra Barrage was completed in 1956 on the Tigris River adjacent to Samarra, approximately 125 kilometers north of Baghdad. The multi-purpose barrage's main function is diverting floodwaters from the Tigris to Lake Tharthar through the Tharthar Canal. The structure has 17 gates capable of passing 7,000 cubic meters per second to the Tigris, while the Tharthar regulator can divert up to 9,000 cubic meters per second with 36 gates. An 84 MW hydroelectric power station was commissioned in 1972. The reservoir's design capacity is 150 million cubic meters, though much is filled with sediment.wikipedia+2

Kut Barrage was constructed between 1934 and 1939 by British firm Balfour Beatty on the Tigris River at Kut. The barrage measures 516 meters long and 10.5 meters high, consisting of 56 gates each 6 meters wide. Its maximum discharge capacity is 6,000 cubic meters, though actual discharge has not exceeded 2,000 cubic meters in the last decade. The barrage's purpose is maintaining sufficient water levels for the Gharraf irrigation canal, which previously only received water during Tigris flood periods.wikipedia+2

Dams on Tigris Tributaries

Dukan Dam on the Little Zab River (a major Tigris tributary) was built between 1954 and 1959 in As Sulaymaniyah Governorate. This concrete arch dam stands 116.5 meters high and 360 meters long. Lake Dukan has a maximum capacity of 6.97 billion cubic meters covering 270 square kilometers. The power station, fully operational since 1979, has an installed capacity of 400 MW with five 80 MW Francis turbines. The dam serves multiple purposes including flood control, irrigation, and hydroelectric generation.encyclopedia+2

Darbandikhan Dam on the Diyala River (another major tributary) was constructed between 1956 and 1961 in Sulaymaniyah Governorate. This multi-purpose embankment dam was designed by American firm Harza Engineering Company. The dam has experienced various structural problems including slope failures and foundation issues requiring continuous repairs. Its power station has an installed capacity of 249 MW. The reservoir has a capacity of approximately 3 billion cubic meters. The dam suffered damage from the 2017 earthquake but has since been rehabilitated.wikipedia+2

Hemrin Dam on the Diyala River was constructed between 1976 and 1981 by Yugoslav company GIK Hidrogradnja, located 100 kilometers northeast of Baghdad. The earth-fill dam stands 53 meters high and 3,360 meters long. The reservoir has a total capacity of 2.04 billion cubic meters covering approximately 327 square kilometers. The attached power station has an installed capacity of 50 MW. The dam serves primarily for flood control, irrigation, and hydroelectric generation.iasj.rdd+2

Duhok Dam on the Duhok River was completed in 1988 in Duhok Governorate, Kurdistan Region. This earth-fill embankment dam stands 60 meters tall and can withhold 52 million cubic meters of water. The dam features a bell-mouth spillway with a maximum discharge of 81 cubic meters per second. Its primary purpose is irrigation, though it has become increasingly popular as a recreational destination.alluringworld+2

Regional Water Security Implications

The extensive dam construction on the Tigris has profoundly impacted downstream water availability. Turkey's water development projects have reduced Iraq's water supply along the Tigris and Euphrates by 80 percent since 1975. Combined with climate change and reduced precipitation, these developments have created severe water shortages affecting agriculture, natural habitats, and increasing desertification across Iraq. The Mesopotamian Marshes in southern Iraq face particular threats from reduced flows and saltwater intrusion from the Persian Gulf.eros.usgs+1

No comprehensive basin-wide water-sharing agreement exists among riparian countries. While bilateral discussions occur, enforcement remains challenging. The 2021 memorandum of understanding between Turkey and Iraq requesting fair water shares has not been followed by binding agreements. With continued dam construction and climate change effects, regional water security remains a critical geopolitical issue affecting millions of people dependent on the Tigris River system.reddit+4

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Monday, October 27, 2025

Major Dams on the Tigris River

Major Dams on the Tigris River

Turkish Dams on the Tigris

Iraqi Dams on the Tigris

Dams on Tigris Tributaries

Regional Water Security Implications

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