The water levels in three crucial dams supplying Istanbul, located in the eastern Thrace region, have significantly dwindled due to an ongoing drought.
Kazandere Dam located on the Black Sea coast, in particular, has been profoundly affected, with its surface appearing dry and covered in grass, giving it an unexpected green hue, the local media reported Sunday.
The reduced rainfall and factors such as climate change, global warming and shifting seasons are considered the main reasons behind the acute drought issue, according to Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University Çorlu Engineering Faculty Dean Lokman Hakan Tecer.
Kazandere, Pabuçdere and Istrancalar dams, situated within the Vize district of Kırklareli province – responsible for meeting Istanbul's water needs, have experienced a drastic decline in filling levels, reaching around 5%.
According to data compiled from the Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration's (ISKI) website, Kazandere's filling capacity currently stands at 5.14%, Pabuçdere's at 3.91% and Istrancalar at 33.28%.
The repercussions of drought have been evident as large portions of the Pabuçdere and Kazandere dams have dried up, and grass has appeared on the dried sections of Kazandere, turning the surface of the dam green.
It was observed that livestock grazed in the dried and grass-covered areas of the dam.
Explaining the main reasons affecting the decrease in water levels, Tecer said: "Climate change, global warming, reduced precipitation, shifting seasons – these are the consequences of climate change affecting this region and manifesting themselves on a global scale. We must adapt to this climate change and develop measures of adaptation."
Furthermore, Tecer notes that Kazandere and Pabuçdere, two of Istanbul's major dams situated in the eastern Thrace region, have hit their lowest levels in the past decade.
"When we look at the total of 10 dams supplying Istanbul, the water levels have never dropped below the 60%-65% range except for a significant and dramatic drop in 2014. This figure remained between 44% and 49% in the following 10 years. Therefore, this demonstrates a decrease in precipitation and a challenge in water supply in the Türkiye region, which lies within the Mediterranean climate zone," he said.
Tecer also urged immediate adaptation to climate change, particularly in terms of water usage, on different levels.
"We need to make this transformation. We have things to do personally, socially, as a country, and as policymakers. The institutions responsible for managing this issue have things to do. Personally, we need to transform our daily water usage into a more efficient consumption pattern. When we think about our daily activities, we should minimize our water consumption," he said.
"Then, in the industries and agriculture sectors, we must transition to more technologically advanced and water-efficient production methods," Tacer added.
Noting that water management is a significant issue, he stated that this applies to all countries, including Türkiye.
"It is an issue of great urgency. Starting from today, we need to establish a life cycle that can adapt to climate change in terms of water management and consumption in this region, and we need to initiate it," he underlined.
Local resident Hüseyin Duran, 34, residing in the Aksicim neighborhood near the dams, revealed that they have resorted to grazing their animals in the dried-up dam.
"The water level has reached its lowest point. Previously, these places used to be filled up to 95%. But there has never been a drought like this. This year's drought is unprecedented. As you can see, the water level is now at 1%, maybe 2%," Duran explained.
Duran reminisced about the time when locals could swim and fish in the streams, but now it has turned into a barren land where his sheep graze.
The total occupancy rate of the 10 dams that meet the water needs of Istanbul was measured at 43.81% as of July 2 with the highest levels seen in Ömerli Dam at around 75% and the lowest in Pabuçdere at 3.91%.
Türkiye, listed as a "water-stressed" country considering its rapid increase in the general population and industrial activity, faces a risk of becoming a "water-poor" country by 2030.
Yet, raising the public's knowledge regarding the climate threat and water conversation together with initiatives reinforced by authorities such as the recent "Drought Management Plan" for 23 basins across the country are considered to be some of the steps taken in the direction of ensuring sustainable and effective consumption of water.
