Water levels in the dams of Istanbul, Türkiye’s largest city, have dropped critically, according to recent data released by the city’s water and sewerage body İSKİ.
The data indicated that the overall storage rate of Istanbul’s dams stood at a mere 20.36 percent, the lowest value recorded in the last 10 years.
Comparatively, during the 2014 drought, the water level in dams was slightly higher at 21.13 percent.
A particularly concerning aspect of the report revealed that the water level in six dams in Istanbul dropped below the alarming 10 percent mark.
Water levels in Papuçdere dam, one of the most severely affected, and Büyükçekmece dam dropped to worrisome 3.51 percent and 3.97 percent, respectively, highlighting the severity of the water shortage crisis in the area.
Meanwhile, the water levels in Kazandere Dam and Sazlıdere Dam stood at 6.32 percent and 5.54 percent, respectively.
In stark contrast, Ömerli Dam, which is being supplemented with additional water sources, emerged as the dam with the highest water level at 43.55 percent.
However, even this figure represents a significant increase compared to the 40.84 percent rate recorded exactly one year ago.
Following Ömerli Dam, Darlık Dam reported a rate of 31.62 percent. Alibeyköy dam stood at 22.2 percent, while Istrancalar dam at 21.86 percent.
Elmalı dam fared only slightly better at 16.23 percent, and Terkos dam showed a worrying 9.77 percent rate.
Source: Hurriyet Daily News