Istanbul dams record lowest water level in decade

ISTANBUL

A drop in rainfall has led to a decline in water levels in dams supplying water to Istanbul, Turkey’s most populous province.

The dams held the lowest water level in the past 10 years as of Nov. 22, at 26.34 percent, Demirören News Agency reported.

“According to current data, we can say that we are at risk of a lack of water,” said Sevinç Asilhan, an academic from Istanbul Technical University, noting that decreased precipitation is the main cause of the reduction in water levels.

Sazlıdere dam, which supplies water to the city’s European side, was among the worst affected, according to the report.

Water levels in the dam reservoir dropped to 5.65 percent, with parts of the lake apparently having dried up.

But Murat Ongun, spokesperson of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, said water supply to the city is not only provided by dams.

“Of the 2.8 million cubic meters of water supplied to the city on Nov. 22, some 1.2 million cubic meters were supplied from Melen, Yeşilçay and Istranca lines,” he stressed.

A government agency in charge of dams had announced in September that Istanbul was not in danger of a water shortage.

In a written statement, the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) has said that current levels were sufficient to meet a 120-day demand for the city even if there was no precipitation.