Agriculture Ministry Announces Silvan Dam Irrigation Schedule
· Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry announced that the dam body within the scope of the 360 billion lira Silvan Project has been completed, and water storage is set to begin in September 2027.
Silvan Dam and Water Storage Schedule
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı conducted technical inspections at the Silvan Dam and the Babakaya and Silvan irrigation tunnels, which are part of the ongoing Silvan Project in Diyarbakır. According to information provided by the Ministry, the dam body, with a height of 175 meters from its foundation, has been successfully completed. Following technical inspections on-site, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı made the following statement:
"The dam body construction of the Silvan Dam is complete. We have finished our inspections. With the completion of other construction works, we will hopefully begin storing water in the Silvan Dam starting September 2027."
The project has been described as the most comprehensive irrigation initiative after the Atatürk Dam irrigations.
Agricultural Production Capacity and Yield Increase
According to data shared by the Ministry, 2.35 million decares of agricultural land will receive water once the irrigation infrastructure in the project area becomes operational. Minister Yumaklı stated that this area is equivalent to approximately 330,000 football fields, and with irrigation, the crop patterns in the lands will diversify, allowing farmers to undertake second and even third plantings. According to the announced projections, the total agricultural production in the region, currently at 2.3 million tons, is expected to triple to over 7 million tons upon project completion. A doubling of yield is particularly anticipated for wheat production.
Project Investment Size and Employment Targets
It was reported that the Silvan Project consists of 8 dams and 23 irrigation facilities, with its current investment size reaching 360 billion lira. Addressing the financial impact of the investment on the regional economy, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı stated:
"When the Silvan Project is completed, it will contribute approximately 43 billion lira to our economy. Approximately 305,000 people will be employed directly and indirectly. This project is not just an irrigation project. The Silvan Project is a development project."
The project aims to boost the agricultural industry and the local labor market.
Babakaya and Silvan Transmission Tunnels
Work is ongoing in the underground tunnels built to transport stored water to agricultural lands. According to Ministry data, the Babakaya Tunnel, consisting of two separate tubes each 5,320 meters long, has a water transmission capacity of 212 cubic meters per second. With 600 meters of excavation remaining in the first tube and 1600 meters in the second tube, the facility is planned for completion in March 2027. The transmission works for the Silvan Tunnel, which is 13.2 kilometers long and 10 meters in diameter and forms the other transmission leg of the project, are also targeted for completion in 2027.
Regional Storage Facilities and Drinking Water
Within the scope of the Silvan Project, a four-stage main canal spanning 98 kilometers will be constructed to support the transmission infrastructure. According to information shared by the Ministry, the construction of the Pamukçay, Başlar, Kuruçay, and Ambar dams, which are project components, has been completed. Land acquisition and investment preparations are ongoing for the Bulaklıdere, Kıbrıs, and Karacalar dams. Minister Yumaklı announced that the dams and transmission structures in the region will not only supply irrigation water but also allocate 76 million cubic meters of drinking water annually to the neighboring province of Batman.
DSİ Investments in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia
It was stated that over 2,400 water projects have been implemented in the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) in the last quarter-century. According to data announced by Minister Yumaklı, the current monetary value of these investments exceeds 1.3 trillion lira. As a result of the irrigation projects carried out, 7.1 million decares of agricultural land in the region have been opened up for irrigation. It was emphasized that these completed water structures currently provide a direct and indirect annual contribution of 119 billion lira to the regional economy.
Regional Development and Security Environment
Minister Yumaklı noted that irrigation and infrastructure investments in the region are directly linked to permanent development goals, stating that the security environment paves the way for agricultural investments. Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı concluded his speech by stating that the legal regulations accepted in parliament have given confidence to producers:
"May our water bring abundance, our land bring production, our youth bring hope, and our Turkey be strong."
It was reported that the agricultural output in the Southeastern Anatolia Region will significantly increase upon the completion of the project.