Dams in the Antalya Region and Their Features

Dams in Antalya: Oymapınar, Manavgat and Others

Antalya's steep, water-rich rivers are ideal for hydroelectric power, and several dams have been built across them since the 1980s. Besides producing electricity and irrigating farmland, these dams have created new landscapes. Did you know that the popular Green Canyon boat trip near Manavgat takes place on a reservoir that did not exist before the 1980s?

Oymapınar Dam

Oymapınar Dam on the Manavgat River is the best-known dam in the province. It is a tall concrete arch dam set in a narrow limestone gorge, completed in the 1980s. Its reservoir stretches far upstream between steep cliffs and pine forests, forming the scenery of the Green Canyon.

A spring under the lake

The reservoir also covers the Dumanlı spring, once considered one of the largest karst springs in the world. Its water still rises from the bottom of the lake, hidden beneath the surface.

Manavgat Dam

A short distance downstream, the Manavgat Dam forms a second, smaller reservoir. Together, the two dams regulate the river before it reaches the waterfall and the town of Manavgat.

Other Dams in the Province

  • Alakır Dam: near Kumluca, supplying irrigation for greenhouses in the west.
  • Dim Dam: on the Dim stream near Alanya, used for water supply and irrigation.
  • Smaller dams and ponds: spread across the farmland of Serik, Aksu and Korkuteli.

What Dams Mean for the Region

Antalya's greenhouses, citrus groves and hotels all need water, especially in the long, dry summer. Dams store winter rain for use in the hot months and help protect towns from floods after heavy storms.

Dams and tourism

Reservoirs have become attractions in their own right. The Green Canyon boat trip, with lunch on board and a swimming stop, is one of the most relaxing excursions from Side and Manavgat. If you would rather see a free-flowing river, rafting on the Köprüçay in Köprülü Canyon offers the opposite experience.

A reservoir of many colours

The colour of the Oymapınar reservoir changes with the light and season, from emerald green to deep blue.