The Sanliurfa Tunnels

The Sanliurfa Tunnels, a major unit the GAP Project, will irrigate 476.374 hectaresof land, 358.000 hectares by gravity and 118.000 hectares by pumping.

The system consists of two circular concrete-lined tunnels each with diameter of 7.62 meters and a length of 26.4 kilometers. The total length of the tunnels will be 57.8 kilometers, including acces and connection tunnels.

The tunnels will discharge water from the reservoir of Atatürk Dam at a rate of 328 cubic meters per second. The discharged water will run in 4 kilometers main conveyance canal north of the Sanliurfa-Harran plains and be used for 124 Gwh electrical power generation at the Sanliurfa Hydroelectric Power Plant of 50 Mw capacity. The water will be divided into two at the power plant. The Sanliurfa main irrigation canal will irrigate 50.000 hectares and the Harran Canal will irrigate about 100.000 hectares by gravity.

The land to be irrigated by these two canals is the most fertile part of the region, historically known as "Upper Mesopotamia".

The Mardin Main Irrigation Canal, on the other hand will carry approximately 200 cubic meter of water a second and proceed for 250 km towards the Mardin an Ceylanpinar plains, to irrigate 208.000 hectares of land by gravity on the other hand, on fee 155 km two stages pumping will provide irrigation of 38.000 hectares. On the 216 km. of canal three stage pumping from the Mardin storage 80.000 hectares will be irrigated which are totally 118.000 hectares:

With the completion of these irrigation projects at full development the yearly benefit in agricultural income, excluding animal husbandry, is estimated 4.243 billion TL. a year at 1993 prices.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Source : General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSI) 

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