Istanbul’s dam levels have fallen below 50% due to reduced rainfall during the summer, hot weather and increased water consumption. According to data from the Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (İSKİ), the level stood at 49.94% as of today.
The city’s dams reached the year’s highest level of 72.05% on May 11. Levels have continued to decline since then.
Dam levels
The highest level among the dams was measured at Elmalı, at 80.7%. The level was 71.05% at Ömerli, 67.7% at Darlık and 42.12% at Terkos.
Levels were recorded at 48.33% at Alibey, 35.05% at Büyükçekmece, 28.37% at Sazlıdere and 34.1% at Istrancalar. The level stood at 22.85% at Kazandere and 16.8% at Pabuçdere.
433.46 million cubic meters of water available
The total storage capacity of the dams and reservoirs supplying Istanbul with water is calculated at 868 million 683 thousand cubic meters. As of today, these facilities hold 433.46 million cubic meters of water.
Istanbul’s water resources are not limited to its dams. The city has also received 487.87 million cubic meters of water from the Melen and Yeşilçay systems this year.
Third-lowest level in the past 10 years
İSKİ statistics show that the water level on August 14 stood at 57.14% in 2016, 66.82% in 2017, 68.35% in 2018 and 63.59% in 2019. The level was recorded at 52.67% in 2020, 62.92% in 2021 and 62.12% in 2022.
For the same period, the level was 33.81% in 2023, 53.02% in 2024 and 47.32% in 2025. Hüseyin Toros, a professor at Istanbul Technical University, said the current level of 49.94% was the third-lowest figure of the past 10 years.
Daily consumption approaches 3.5 million cubic meters
Toros said the dams held 433 million cubic meters of water and that the city consumed approximately 3 to 3.5 million cubic meters of water per day. Daily consumption was measured at 3.46 million cubic meters the previous day and 3.41 million cubic meters the day before that.
Toros said this rate of consumption amounted to approximately 350 million cubic meters over 100 days. He added that daily water use per person in Istanbul was approximately 200 liters and said this amount should be reduced to 100 liters.
Recommendation to collect rainwater
Toros emphasized that using water efficiently was the most economical solution. He recommended collecting and using rainwater locally in parks, gardens, residential complexes, apartment buildings and workplaces.
Toros said it was also important for water accumulating around the roots of trees in Istanbul during rainfall to seep into the ground. He noted that hot weather increases the water needs of people and plants. He said continuous public awareness was needed about using existing water more sparingly and collecting rainwater locally.
