Importance of Gördes Dam for Izmir metropolitan city

Abstract

Izmir is a metropolitan municipality which is the third the most populated city with 4.223.545people in 2016. Fiftysix percent of the drinking water of İzmir city is provided from groundwater resources. The rest comes from Tahtalı and Balçova Dams. The population and water consumption of the city increase each year. Although Gördes dam in Gediz Graben was constructed in between 1998 and 2004 by the Turkish State Hydraulic Works (DSİ), it could not store the water due to geological problems like leaching. Most recently, these problems were solved and the dam will start storing water. The storage capacity of the dam is 448.46 hm3. It is planned to provide for the annual average of 59.00 hm3 for the domestic uses of İzmir Metropolitan Region and for the irrigation of 14,809 hectares areas in Akhisar Plain.