| Çoruh Chorokh, Ch'orokhi, Acampsis | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Countries | Turkey andGeorgia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Mescit Mountains |
| Mouth | Black Sea |
• coordinates | 41°36′17″N41°34′27″E / 41.6047°N 41.5742°E /41.6047; 41.5742 |
| Length | 438 km (272 mi)[1] |
| Basin size | 22,100 km2 (8,500 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 278 m3/s (9,800 cu ft/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • right | Machakhelistsqali,Acharistsqali |
TheChorokh (Georgian:ჭოროხიCh'orokhi[t͡ʃʼo̞ɾo̞χi],Turkish:Çoruh,Armenian:ՃորոխChorokh,Azerbaijani:Çorox,Greek:Άκαμψις,Akampsis) is a river that rises in theMescit Mountains in north-easternTurkey, flows through the cities ofBayburt,İspir,Yusufeli, andArtvin, along theKelkit-Çoruh Fault, before flowing intoGeorgia, where it reaches theBlack Sea just south ofBatumi and a few kilometers north of the Turkish-Georgian border.
InArrian'sPeriplus Ponti Euxini, it is called theAcampsis (Greek:Άκαμψις);Pliny may have confused it with theBathys.[2]Procopius writes that it was called Acampsis because it was impossible to force a way through it after it has entered the sea, since it discharges its stream with such force and swiftness, causing a great disturbance of the water before it, that it goes out for a very great distance into the sea and makes it impossible to coast along at that point.[3]
In English, it was formerly known as the Boas, the Churuk, or the Chorokh.[4][5]
The Ch'orokhi valley lies within the Caucasus ecological zone, which is considered by theWorld Wide Fund for Nature and byConservation International as a biodiversity hotspot.[6][7] The Çoruh Valley is recognised by Turkish conservation organisations as an important plant area,[8] an important bird area,[9] a key biodiversity area[10] and has been nominated as a high priority area for protection. This valley is rich in plants and contains 104 nationally threatened plant species of which 67 are endemic to Turkey.[8]
The Çoruh has been called "an eco-tourism gem" and "Turkey's last remaining wild river", and is being promoted forwhitewater kayaking by the Eastern Anatolia Tourism Development Project.[11] It attracts kayakers and rafters from all over the world and was the site of the 4th World Rafting Championship in 1993[12] and the Coruh Extreme kayak competition in 2005.[13]
A total of 17 large hydroelectric dams are planned as part of the Çoruh River Development Plan[14] but a total of 27 are proposed for the Çoruh River Catchment. Under the Çoruh Development Plan, 8 dams have been completed (Arkun, Artvin, Borçka, Deriner, Güllübağ, Murtli, Tortum and Yusufeli Dams), another 2 are under construction.[15]
| Dam | Phase |
|---|---|
| Tortum Dam | Operational – Tortum River (Çoruh tributary) |
| Muratli Dam | Operational |
| Borçka Dam | Operational |
| Deriner Dam | Operational |
| Olur Dam | Planned |
| Bağlık Dam | Planned – Berta River (Çoruh tributary) |
| Bayram Dam | Planned – Berta River (Çoruh tributary) |
| Artvin Dam | Operational |
| Yusufeli Dam | Operational |
| Altiparmak Dam | Planned – Barhal River (Çoruh tributary) |
| Ayvali Dam | Planned – Oltu River (Çoruh tributary) |
| Olur Dam | Planned – Oltu River (Çoruh tributary) |
| Arkun Dam | Operational |
| Aksu Dam | Preliminary construction |
| Güllübağ Dam | Operational |
| İspir Dam | Planned |
| Laleli Dam | Under construction |
| National | |
|---|---|
| Geographic | |
