Last updated on .
The Atatürk Dam (Atatürk Barajı) sits along the road connecting Adıyaman and Urfa in Southeastern Anatolia. As of October 2025, it ranks as the third-largest dam in the world.
Introduction to the Atatürk Dam
The dam was constructed on the Euphrates River between 1983 and 1990, originally known as the Karababa Dam (Karababa Barajı). Its purpose was to both generate electricity and irrigate the surrounding region. The project went into service in 1992 and was renamed in honor of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881–1938), the founder of the Turkish Republic.
The dam stands 169 meters (554 feet) tall and stretches 1,820 meters (5,970 feet) in length. Its hydroelectric power plant has a total power capacity of 2,400 MW, producing approximately 8,900 GW·h of electricity each year. The facility is operated by State Hydraulic Works (Devlet Su İşleri), or DSİ.
Atatürk Reservoir
The dam formed the Atatürk Reservoir (Atatürk Baraj Gölü), which ranks as the third-largest lake in Turkey. Covering 817 square kilometers (315 square miles), it submerged several important archaeological sites. Today, the reservoir offers recreational opportunities and supports several fisheries.
Water from the reservoir irrigates 4,760 square kilometers (1,840 square miles) of land through two parallel tunnels. Each tunnel measures 26.4 kilometers (16.4 miles) long and 7.62 meters (25 feet) in diameter, making them the largest in the world by length and flow rate. The first tunnel was completed in 1995, followed by the second in 1996. About 90% of the irrigated fields are planted with cotton.
Observation Point
You can get a good view of this impressive project from an observation point just off the highway. The site includes a full-service café and a snack shop, as well as a memorial to the workers who lost their lives during the dam’s construction.
