Alaca Dam

Alaca Dam is the collective name for a series of dams located in the Alaca district of Çorum province, Türkiye, designed for irrigation drinking water supply and flood control. It was constructed to support agricultural activities in the region, use water resources more efficiently, and reduce flood risks.

^{Alaca Dam -} General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works

The Alaca region has historically been an important center for water management. The Gölpınar Hittite Dam, constructed during the Hittite period and still visible in ruins today, dates back to the 13th century BCE. This dam is regarded as a major achievement in ancient hydraulic engineering. Additionally, the Örükaya Dam, another ancient dam within the boundaries of Alaca district dating to the Hittite period, is one of the Roman-era antiquities and has a history of approximately 2,000 years.

Today, various dam and irrigation projects are carried out in Alaca district by the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ). The most notable among them are:

• Koçhisar Dam: Used for both drinking water and agricultural irrigation. Thanks to the Koçhisar Drinking Water Conduit, 2.54 million cubic meters of drinking water are supplied annually to Alaca district.
• Hitit Gökpınar Dam: An important dam constructed for agricultural irrigation.
• Alaca Küçükhırka Dam: Has a height of 32.94 meters and a water storage capacity of 522,000 cubic meters. It can irrigate approximately 1,420 decares of agricultural land.
• Alaca Perçem Dam (in planning phase): Will have a water capacity of 600,000 cubic meters.
• Alaca İsmailli Reservoir: Has a water capacity of 700,000 cubic meters.
• Alaca Büyükhırka Reservoir: Has a water capacity of 800,000 cubic meters.
• Alaca Sincan Dam: Has a water storage capacity of 2 million cubic meters.

Thanks to the dam projects in Alaca, irrigation has been provided for a total of 121,100 decares of agricultural land. Additionally, three flood control structures have been built to reduce flood risks, protecting thousands of dönüm of land.

The Alaca Dam and surrounding water management projects contribute to the local economy by increasing regional agricultural production. The water management legacy dating back to the Hittite period continues today through modern dam projects.