The Euphrates and the Tigris Rivers account for 23% of the annual surface water flow in Turkey and have been extensively developed for the purpose of hydropower production and water supply for potable, irrigation and industrial use. The Southeastern Anatolia Project was launched initially as an irrigation and infrastructure investment, but by 1989 had become an integrated multi-sector regional development project that was ultimately converted to a sustainable human development project in 1995.

The Southeastern Anatolia Project consists of 13 project packages, including seven developments in the Euphrates Basin, of which the Border Euphrates Project, consisting of Birecik Dam and the Karkamis Dam and their respective hydropower plants, is one.

Birecik Dam is a 63m high rock fill concrete gravity structure, supplying irrigation water to 92,700 hectares of agricultural land. The Birecik hydropower plant has a capacity of 672 MW. Karkamis Dam is a 22.5m earth fill concrete gravity dam. Water from Karkamis Dam is not used for irrigation purposes, but drives 6 turbines with a total capacity of 180W.