Dry spell deflates water lifelines of two major metropolises
As historic summer heat waves and bone-dry air sweep across Türkiye, the massive reservoirs supplying Istanbul and Ankara are rapidly retreating, testing the resilience of the vital water networks that sustain the country’s two largest metropolises.
Overall dam levels in Ankara stood at 46 percent on July 15, according to the Ankara Water and Sewerage Authority (ASKİ).
More critically, the capital’s active volume — the actual water available for municipal use — has slipped to 40 percent. The Çamlıdere dam, a major source for the city, is hovering at just 41 percent, while the situation is even more acute at the Türkşerefli reservoir, where water levels have plummeted to 10 percent.
Water levels across other local reservoirs show stark disparities. While Kesikköprü remains at full capacity and Eğrekkaya holds strong at 77 percent, reserves at Kurtboğazı and Peçenek have dwindled to approximately 34 percent and 30 percent, respectively.
