Water level rises to 40 percent in Istanbul dams

ISTANBUL

Torrential rains witnessed lately have brought a sigh of relief for Istanbul, whose dams were at the risk of drying up due to the scorching heat during summer fueled by the El Nino phenomenon, as the filling rates in Istanbul dams are on the rise.

The average water level in the dams was measured as 39.62 percent as of Dec. 11, according to the data from the Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (İSKİ).

The water level in the dams was measured at 25.47 percent on Nov. 28.

Dursun Yıldız, the head of the Water Policy Association, said on Nov. 25 that they were preparing to draw water from the bottom of the dams in case the drought continued in Istanbul in the fall and winter.

"The European side of Istanbul has been experiencing a prolonged period of drought since last year. Meteorological drought has transitioned into a hydrological one. The dams that supply water to the European side have emptied. In the absence of precipitation, preparations are underway to extract water from the under of what we refer to as 'dead volume' of these dams to extend the utility of the dwindling water reserves," he said.

Yıldız pointed out the urgent need for measures to ensure the more efficient utilization of existing water resources in Istanbul, adding that even if the city receives rainfall next month and the water level in the dams increases, the problem will not be entirely resolved.