Occupancy in Istanbul dams drops to 49.21 percent: Pabuçdere is at 17.35 percent
According to İSKİ data, the average occupancy in Istanbul dams dropped to 49.21 percent as of August 17; the lowest level is at Pabuçdere.
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According to data shared by the Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (İSKİ) on Monday, August 17, 2026, the general occupancy rate of the dams supplying water to the city was measured at 49.21 percent.
The average occupancy rate, which was at 58.68 percent in mid-July, has seen a significant decline with the arrival of August. Rising temperatures, evaporation, and water consumption during the summer months keep the decline in dam levels on the agenda.
According to the data, while occupancy rates remain relatively high in the Ömerli and Elmalı dams on the Anatolian side, rates are at lower levels in some basins on the European side. The lowest occupancy was recorded at the Pabuçdere Dam with 17.35 percent.
DAM OCCUPANCY RATES
According to İSKİ's measurements dated August 17, the occupancy rates of the dams in Istanbul are as follows:
| Dam | Occupancy rate |
|---|---|
| Ömerli Dam | 71.05 percent |
| Darlık Dam | 67.7 percent |
| Elmalı Dam | 80.7 percent |
| Terkos Dam | 42.12 percent |
| Alibey Dam | 48.33 percent |
| Büyükçekmece Dam | 35.5 percent |
| Sazlıdere Dam | 28.37 percent |
| Istrancalar Dam | 34.01 percent |
| Kazandere Dam | 23.4 percent |
| Pabuçdere Dam | 17.35 percent |
The drop in the average level of Istanbul's dams to 49.21 percent has brought the monitoring of water resources back to the forefront during the summer period. Daily consumption in the city and the course of precipitation will be decisive for the direction of dam occupancy rates in the coming weeks.