Amasya, Turkey: 20‑year‑wait for Taşova dam continues

Residents of the Taşova district in Amasya Province have been awaiting the construction of a dam on a stream that feeds the Yeşilırmak River for two decades. Village head Osman Yıldız said officials promised the project would start in 2006, that all planning stages and the environmental impact assessment have been completed, yet no excavation work has begun.

Locals argue the dam would regulate water flow, improve irrigation for their 8,000‑decare farmland, supply drinking water to neighboring villages, and provide a fire‑control resource for the surrounding forests. Community members such as farmer Hasan Ünkan and association president Ömer Evci stress that the water infrastructure could trigger the return of former residents from cities and revive the rural economy.