Irrigation development in Turkey has been remarkable during the last 40 years. Irrigated area increased by about 2.5 times since 1970s. The share of the area developed by public agencies is 80 percent. The rest is developed by the farmers themselves. The objective
of State Hydraulic Works (DSI) is to increase the irrigated area from 5.2 to 8.5 million hectares of irrigated land by 2023 (DSI, 2008a).
Turkey’s climate is moderated by both the Mediterranean and continental weather patterns which displays geo-climatic diversity when combined with a highly varied topography. The annual average precipitation is 643mm, yet varies from 250mm in the central part to 3,000mm in the Eastern Black Sea region. Seventy-five percent of annual rain falls during the winter season. The diverse precipitation structure emphasizes the crucial importance of irrigation.