Around 1.7 Million Hectares Of Field To Be Irrigated As Gap Completed

SANLIURFA - Around 1.7 million hectares of field is planned to be irrigated and 3.5 million people are targeted to be employed once the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) is completed.
Officials of GAP Regional Development Administration told A.A correspondent on Wednesday that when the project is fulfilled, 28.5 percent of total water potential of Turkey is expected to be taken under control with the facilities on the Euphrates and Tigris rivers which flow water more than 52 billion cubic meters a year.
The officials stated that the dams in GAP region are predicted to produce 27 billion kilowatts per hour hydroelectricity a year with their power capacity more than 7,460 megawatts.
GAP dams which produces 50 percent of total hydroelectricity production of Turkey meet 9.3 percent of total energy production in Turkey.
The State Water Works (DSI) opened 215,080 hectares of field to irrigation in 2002 while 12 percent of irrigation projects have become operational.
(BRC-AÖ) 30.07.2003