Ilısu Dam

The Ilisu Dam (also known as Ilısu Dam locally, Turkish pronunciation: [ɯɫɯˈsu]) is an embankment dam under construction on the Tigris River near the village of Ilisu and along the border of Mardin and Sirnak Provinces in Turkey. It is one of the 22 dams of the Southeastern Anatolia Project and its purpose is hydroelectric power production, flood control and water storage. When complete, the dam will support a 1,200 MW power station and will form a 10.4 billion m3 reservoir. Construction of the dam began in 2006 and it is expected to be complete by 2014.[3] As part of the project, the much smaller Cizre Dam is to be constructed downstream for irrigation and power. The dam has drawn international controversy,[4] because it will flood portions of ancient Hasenkeyf and necessitate the relocation of people living in the region. Because of this, the dam lost international funding in 2008.