Reshaping the Water Balance of the Middle East
Few modern engineering projects have had such a profound impact beyond their borders as the GAP Project (Southeastern Anatolia Project)Conceived by Türkiye starting in the 1970s and accelerated in the following decades, the plan transformed two of the most symbolic rivers in the history of civilization. Tigris and Euphrates, in the areas of energy, agricultural and political control.
These rivers are not just waterways. They sustained Mesopotamia, the cradle of some of the world's first cities, and still supply millions of people in Iraq and Syria today. By building an integrated system of dams and hydroelectric power plants at their headwaters, Turkey has effectively taken control of the flow of water reaching downstream countries.
The scale of the GAP: 22 dams and 19 hydroelectric plants in a single system.
The GAP Project is not an isolated dam, but a hydraulic complex design. It gathers 22 dams e 19 hydroelectric power plants, distributed mainly in the Euphrates and Tigris river basins in southeastern Turkey.
The heart of the system is the Atatürk Dam, one of the largest in the world in terms of reservoir volume. With it, Turkey gained the capacity to regulate flows, store water during rainy periods, and release it according to its own energy and agricultural interests.
In addition to generating electricity, the project was designed to irrigate vast agricultural areas in a historically poor and semi-arid region, integrating economic development, water security, and energy production into a single state plan.
Energy, irrigation and control: the three pillars of the megaproject.
From a technical standpoint, GAP was designed to fulfill three strategic functions. The first is energyThe hydroelectric plants in the system supply a significant portion of the electricity for southeastern Turkey, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and stabilizing the regional grid.
The second one is irrigationThousands of kilometers of artificial canals carry impounded water to previously unproductive agricultural areas, transforming arid landscapes into centers of intensive cultivation, especially of cotton and grains.
The third and most sensitive is the control of international water flowBy retaining water at the headwaters, Turkey has come to decide when, how much, and how water reaches Syria and Iraq, something that no international treaty has been able to fully regulate.
The direct impact on Syria and Iraq.
Syria and Iraq are heavily dependent on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for urban water supply, agriculture, and energy generation. With the progressive implementation of the GAP (Global Appropriate Water) program, both countries have begun to register [the following figures/values]. flow reductiongreater irregularity in flow and difficulties for long-term water planning.
During periods when Turkish reservoirs were being filled, the drop in downstream water volume was enough to affect crops, reduce electricity generation, and worsen water crises in already unstable regions. In drought years, the effects became even more severe.
Although Turkey argues that the project is legitimate because it takes place within its territory, Syria and Iraq accuse the country of using the water as instrument of political pressure, especially during times of diplomatic tension or regional conflicts.
Water as a geopolitical tool in the 21st century.
Project GAP is frequently cited by international analysts as one of the clearest examples of modern hydropolitics.
Unlike oil or gas pipelines, water does not have a regulated global market, which makes its territorial control even more sensitive.
By controlling the headwaters and large reservoirs, Turkey has gained a silent strategic advantage. It is not necessary to completely interrupt the flow to exert pressure; small variations are enough to generate significant economic and social impact on dependent countries.
This type of power is difficult to challenge militarily and complex to resolve diplomatically, especially in a region marked by prolonged conflicts.
Environmental and social criticism within Türkiye itself.
The GAP also generated internal controversy. The construction of the dams flooded entire villages, displaced populations, and submerged ancient archaeological sites, including areas inhabited since antiquity.
Environmentalists point to changes in the river ecosystem, loss of biodiversity, and soil salinization in intensively irrigated areas. Economists, in turn, question whether the promised social benefits have been distributed equitably or concentrated in the hands of large producers.
Nevertheless, the Turkish state maintained the project as a symbol of sovereignty, development, and technical capability.
Unlike many megaprojects that remained on paper, GAP is... real, functional and operational. Their dams continue to regulate rivers daily, their power plants continue to generate energy, and their canals continue to irrigate fields.
But its effects are not expected to end anytime soon. As long as the Tigris and Euphrates remain transboundary rivers, the GAP Project will continue to influence diplomatic relations, food security, and political stability throughout the Middle East.
The legacy of GAP: engineering that transcends borders.
The GAP Project shows how large infrastructure projects are not limited to concrete, turbines, and reservoirs. They shape economies, displace populations, and redefine power relations between entire countries.
By building 22 dams and 19 hydroelectric plants at the headwaters of two historic rivers, Turkey not only transformed its territory, it It came to control one of the most sensitive resources in the region: the water..
