1. BY: BRYNNE HENRY, BROOKE STREHLER, MASON AZOSE Tigres and Euphrates Dam Constuction Period 5

2. Background Euphrates springs from Eastern Turkey. It is 2,700 km, the longest river in Southwestern Asia The Tigris also springs from Eastern Turkey, but the main part of the river comes from the tributaries in Iraq The Southeastern Anatolia Development Project (GAP in Turkish) plans to construct 22 dams and 19 Hydroelectric Power Plants and divert waters to irrigate 1.7 million hectares of land Turkey’s dam/hydropower construction has reduced water flows into Iraq by 80% and into Syria by 40%

3. Location

4. Infiltration 90% of water from Tigres and 50% of water in Euphrates originate in Turkey Tension between Turkey and Iraq over water usage Low flow rate of water into Iraq from Turkey Salt water infiltrates the rivers because of low flow rate

5. Too Little Water The middle east climate is semi-arid to arid Development of Turkish hydroelectricity means less water Seasonal draughts Low flow rate from Turkey

6. “We do not say we share their oil resources. They cannot say they share our water resources. This is a right of sovereignty. We have the right to do anything we like.” -Suleyman Demirel, Turkish Prime Minister

7. Unusual Damming First case that questions international water laws Cultural conflict  Dams will flood unexcavated archeological sites  Destroy ancient civilizations In an oil rich area  Water necessary for refining  Oil shipped around the world

8. Influential Case Turkey is the strongest of all the countries involved in the conflict economically, socially and militarily Majority of the water used by Iraq, not Turkey Need for a real meeting between the countries

9. Future Issues Water-wars  Political ties to the countries could involve America in another war Potential for droughts and famine downstream