Across Kurdistan, rivers and streams are increasingly threatened by dams and Hydroelectric Power Plant (HES) projects. While some of these power plants have been shut down in western Turkey, new projects continue to multiply in the southeast, despite local opposition and lawsuits. Critics say the dams devastate agriculture, displace communities, and intensify the climate crisis.
Amed is surrounded by dams
In Diyarbakır (Amed) alone, eight power plants are already operating. Projects are also underway on the Sarım and Zorê streams, raising fears that the city could be encircled by dams. Meanwhile, construction continues on the Silvan Dam, Turkey’s second largest, which began in 2011 and will submerge dozens of villages once completed.
Residents of Licê, Pasûr (Kulp), and Farqîn (Silvan) warn that new dams will wipe out farmland and entire ecosystems, in addition to forcing thousands from their homes.
Legal battles
The Birsu HES project planned for the Sarım Basin, between Diyarbakır’s Licê district and Bingöl’s Dara Hênî (Genç), was initially shelved after strong public resistance. A lawsuit filed by villagers led to the cancellation of the project’s environmental impact assessment (EIA).
But in a recent ruling, Turkey’s Council of State overturned the cancellation and ordered a fresh inspection by experts, effectively reviving the project.
“This decision puts our nature under direct threat,” said Turhallı, adding: “These projects bring nothing but destruction. They cause irreversible damage to agriculture, to ecosystems, and to life itself.”
The lifeline of the region
The Sarım Basin irrigates vast farmland between Bingöl and Diyarbakır, supporting walnut, apple, grape, bean, wheat, and barley production, as well as livestock and beekeeping. Locals describe it as the region’s “lifeline,” critical for both subsistence and the local economy.
“If the dams go ahead, fertile fields will either be submerged or dry up completely,” Turhallı warned, adding: “This basin keeps the land green for most of the year and sustains both local and regional markets. Destroying it means destroying the backbone of the community.”
Dams “freeze” the heart of nature
Environmentalists stress that dams are not just about energy, they fundamentally alter ecosystems. Turhallı said: “Dams block rivers’ natural cycles, disrupt fish migration, and suffocate aquatic life. They displace thousands of people and dry up farmland downstream. They may produce energy in the short term, but, in reality, they are massive concrete walls that stop the heartbeat of nature.”
Climate change is already being felt in the region, he added, noting that average temperatures have risen by as much as 10°C, snowfalls have dwindled, and biodiversity has collapsed by two-thirds.
A call for alternatives
Turhallı urged authorities to prioritize alternative energy sources instead of dams. He said: “If nature disappears, money and so-called development will mean nothing. Our real wealth is the natural world. If we don’t protect it, floods will sweep us away, the sun will scorch us, and the winds will scatter us. The real question is: who are we serving? Nature, or the companies?”