Water policy in the Republican period (1923-1950)

During the Republican Period, important steps were taken in the fields of public works, health and economy. Irrigation and rehabilitation activities were also undertaken in order to ensure the development that Turkey needed. Since the opportunities provided by water could not be utilized, drought problems arose in some regions. The failure to isolate water caused malaria and also caused agricultural lands to shrink. In order to prevent the spread of the disease, the swamps were dried and the flies were eliminated. Flood control projects and five-year development programs have been prepared. In order to prevent floods, dikes were built and the lands that were under water were converted into agricultural areas. While planning the cities, swamp waters were channeled into water infrastructures. Dams were built for irrigation and drinking water supply, and the dams were developed over time and made suitable for electricity generation. There has been an increased tendency towards hydroelectric production in order to benefit from water power. Europe's water and electricity policy has been closely followed. For this purpose, German scientists from abroad were invited to Turkey. Conferences were held to warn the public about water usage, and the state made plans in this direction. Apart from energy, drinking and irrigation, water has also been used in transportation and transport. The most intensive transportation area is Lake Van, and apart from this, transportation activities are carried out in areas close to the sea on the Meriç River. Studies have been initiated for transportation on the Kızılırmak River. Work was carried out on the Tigris River for Ergani copper transportation.