[3] Construction of the Keban Dam was first proposed in 1936 by the newly established Electric Affairs Survey Administration, but not started before 1966.

[6] During the flooding of the Keban Reservoir, Turkey maintained the discharge of the Euphrates at 450 cubic metres (16,000 cu ft) per second, as agreed with the downstream countries of Syria and Iraq.

This dispute, exacerbated by drought which reduced the amount of available water even further, was solved by mediation of Saudi Arabia.

[11] From 1968 to 1974, the Euphrates and Murat River valleys were the scene of intense archaeological survey and excavation in advance of flooding.

The Aşvan region, covering about 115 square kilometres (44 sq mi), contained eleven archaeological sites, all relatively small.

The other broadening of the valley, at the Altınova plain (Elazığ Province), was a well-defined area of thick and fertile alluvial soil.

[15][16] Due to Lake Keban's relatively high elevation at 845 metres (2,772 ft) above sea-level and its location in an area with high precipitation, evaporation is relatively low at 0.48 cubic kilometres (0.12 cu mi) per year compared to reservoirs in Syria or Iraq.