| Çoruh | |
| Other Name: | Chorokh, Ch'orokhi, Acampsis |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 41.6047°N 41.5742°W |
| Subdivision Type1: | Countries |
| Length: | 438km (272miles)[1] |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 278m3/s |
| Basin Size: | 22100km2 |
| Tributaries Right: | Machakhelistsqali, Acharistsqali |
The Chorokh (Georgian: ჭოროხი Ch'orokhi, Turkish: Çoruh, Armenian: Ճորոխ Chorokh, Azerbaijani: Çorox, Greek, Modern (1453-);: Άκαμψις, Akampsis) is a river that rises in the Mescit Mountains in north-eastern Turkey, flows through the cities of Bayburt, İspir, Yusufeli, and Artvin, along the Kelkit-Çoruh Fault, before flowing into Georgia, where it reaches the Black Sea just south of Batumi and a few kilometers north of the Turkish-Georgian border.
In Arrian's Periplus Ponti Euxini, it is called the Acampsis (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Άκαμψις); Pliny may have confused it with the Bathys.[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 the World Wide Fund for Nature and by Conservation 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.
The Çoruh has been called "an eco-tourism gem" and "Turkey's last remaining wild river", and is being promoted for whitewater 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) | |
| 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 |