Istanbul dams rise to 80 percent capacity

ISTANBUL

Ten dams in Istanbul rose to 79.88 percent capacity as of Feb. 22, up from 75.35 percent two weeks ago, according to Istanbul Water and Sewage Administration (İSKİ) data. 

The report came amid fears that low levels of rainfall and temperature levels above seasonal normal had created a challenging environment for water storage. 

The water level increase was seen in the Istanbul dams on the Yeşilçay and Melen rivers, located 100 and 200 kilometers to the east of the city respectively. 

“The Istanbul water’s insurance ‘Melen System’ provides high water levels in spite of the drought. The daily water consumption in Istanbul is nearly 2.7 million cubic meters, and the completed first and second stages of the Melen system, as well as the Yeşilçay system, can provide Istanbul with 1.8 million cubic meters of water on average per day,” İSKİ officials were quoted as saying by daily Habertürk on Feb. 23. 

In 2018, the Melen system’s first and second stages as well as the Yeşilçay system have so far provided Istanbul with 92.3 million cubic meters of water, according to İSKİ officials. “With the third stage of the Melen system to be completed this year, Istanbul will receive an additional one billion cubic meters of water per year,” the officials said. 

On Dec. 28 of last year, Water Affairs and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu said Turkey experienced the worst drought in 44 years in 2017 due to a substantial decrease in rain levels. 

“Turkey is located in a semi-arid region. Turkey is not rich in water levels. And rain levels have substantially decreased,” Eroğlu said, sharing his ministry’s annual report. 

It was thanks to the country’s dams that authorities were able to provide water in 2017, he added.