Sarıçay Dam
The Sarıçay Dam is under construction on the Sarıçay River, a tributary of the Büyük Menderes River in the province of Aydın, west of Türkiye. It will impound the Sarıçay River basin and create a reservoir of 75 million m3 of water annually, which will convey clean water to 1/2 million people living in the districts of Kuşadası and Söke via a 68 kilometers steel pipe transmission line, 2.5 meters in diameter. The water will be treated at a purification plant located along the way.
The project design consists of a 1,650,000 m3 roller-compacted-concrete (RCC) gravity dam and 90,000 m3 of conventional concrete (CVC). The dam will be 133-meter tall from the foundation, 100-meter tall from the stream bed, and will have a crest length of 483 meters. This project will stabilize water availability, satisfy water demand, alleviate drinking water shortage, and support the growing population in the region.
Construction started in September 2019 with several critical milestones already achieved, and on-going planning envisions full commissioning in 2026. The Sarıçay Dam is backed by The General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSİ).