Geomorphological effects of Turkish dams completed on the Tigris River Basin

Abstract

The research aims to study and analyze the geomorphological effects of Turkish dams in the Tigris River basin, to determine the river discharge quantities and monitor changes in water quantities. The study showed that the construction of Turkish dams in the Tigris River, along with climate changes, contributed to a decrease in river water levels and the emergence of geomorphological effects of the river, represented by river islands, the development of river bends, the drying up of marshes, the increase in desertification, and the weakening of the river's ability to transport sediments. In addition, the dams contribute to the recurrence of seismic hazards that would affect Iraq, especially in its north, as Turkey worked to invest in the waters of the Tigris River through the GAP project, as Turkey built eight dams in the Tigris River, the largest of which is the Ilisu Dam. These dams contributed to a decrease in water flows of the Tigris River, which led to the emergence of environmental and geomorphological effects of the river course. The study used modern geographical techniques, represented by the use of the Arc Gis Pro program, and the adoption of satellite imagery to understand the morphological changes in the river course.