This paper deals with Turkish experiences with users' participation and the full transfer of irrigation systems to users and highlights the recent achievements by the end the of year 2001. Transfer of irrigation systems to users had started at a slow pace in the early 1950s and until 1993 small schemes were gradually transferred to users every year with an annual average total area of about 2,000 ha. General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSI) was also encouraging participatory approach through establishment of Irrigation Groups (IGs) or Water User Groups (WUGs) with limited responsibility for operation and maintenance (O&M). The main reason for accelerating transfer program has been the financial burden of O&M for DSI and the Government, which became unbearable and unsustainable. The O&M cost recovery rate of collection of water fees has also been unsatisfactory (about 42 percent ). Considerable increase in the cost of O&M due to the role of un-unionized labor further aggravated the situation.