Although there was some improvement in dam reserves due to the snowfall in December contributing to the city, rising temperatures caused by the effect of the lodos (southwest wind) led to a decline in water levels in the dams once again. The contribution of the heavy rainfall, which has been effective especially in recent days, to the dams has remained limited.
According to the current data shared by the Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI) on January 10, 2026, the average occupancy rate of dams across Istanbul was recorded at 19.24 percent. This rate indicates a critical level for water management in the city.
When compared with the January data of previous years, it is striking that the current occupancy rate is quite low. While the dam occupancy rate was at 41.53 percent in the same period of 2025, this rate was measured at 52.45 percent in 2024. The 86.80 percent occupancy in 2019 reveals the scale of the drought experienced in recent years.
As 2026 began, snowfall caused a short-term rise in the amount of water in the dams, and rates had climbed from 17.88 percent to 18.94 percent. However, this increase could not be sustained as temperatures rose in the following days.
The occupancy rates in the main dams that meet Istanbul's water needs were announced as follows:
- Ömerli Dam: %23.42
- Darlık Dam: %30.07
- Elmalı Dam: %58.96
- Terkos Dam: %15.95
- Alibey Dam: %12.14
- Büyükçekmece Dam: %15.83
- Sazlıdere Dam: %13.27
- Istrancalar Dam: %36.12
- Kazandere Dam: %4.32
- Pabuçdere Dam: %4.91
News Source: 12punto
