In Arrian's Periplus Ponti Euxini, it is called the Acampsis (Greek: 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]
Biodiversity
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.[8]
Recreation
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]
Dams
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]
