Istanbul, Türkiye’s largest metropolis, is contending with a deepening water shortage disaster as reservoir ranges plunged to 21% final week, declining additional in comparison with every week earlier, knowledge from Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI) prompt.
Along Istanbul, western Izmir province is going through related circumstances because the water storage ranges in all of its dams have declined as of Oct. 20. The water stage in Tahtalı Dam, which covers roughly 40% of town’s water wants, has reached its lowest stage prior to now 14 years, in line with an Anadolu Agency (AA) report on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the general dam occupancy stage in Istanbul, which was 21.69% on Oct. 15, was now measured at 21.01%, ISKI knowledge stated, pointing to poor ranges in at the very least 4 of the dams supplying town.
As per assessments, crucial water ranges, measured beneath 10%, which, in line with some specialists, can hurt livelihood and the ecological programs if used from the very backside of the dams, have been measured in Sazlıdere (6.14%), Kazandere (5.96%), Büyükçekmece (4.08%) and Pabuçdere (3.35%).
The water ranges in different dams, together with Istrancalar, Terkos and Elmalı, in the meantime stood at 10.46%, 10.35% and 16.5%, respectively, whereas the very best occupancy was seen in Alibey at 22.96%, Darlık at 32.43% and Ömerli at 44.88%.
The complete water storage capability within the dams and ponds supplying town, with a most capability of 868.68 million cubic meters (mcm), stays at 182 mcm, the info confirmed. Apart from the dam provide, town obtained some 607 mcm of water from the Yeşilçay and Melen streams in 2023.
The water disaster that looms additional into fall with comparatively low rainfall protection resulted within the lowest recorded occupancy charge prior to now 9 years, in line with ISKI statistics.
The dam occupancy charges as of Oct. 21 have been 66.22% in 2015, 40.43% in 2016, 51.69% in 2017, 52.76% in 2018, 44.37% in 2019, 32.07% in 2020, 47.03% in 2021, and 43.48% in 2022.
Effects of drought in Izmir
Meanwhile, in line with the info from the Izmir Water and Sewage Administration (IZSU), as of Oct. 20, the occupancy charges of town’s 5 dams have decreased in comparison with the identical month yr earlier.
Compared to the earlier yr, the occupancy charges decreased by a staggering charge at Ürkmez Dam, declining from 52% to 16%, Alaçatı Kutlu Aktaş from 49% to 22% and Tahtalı from 44% to 29%.
The water ranges fall from 26% to fifteen% in Balçova and 65% to 59% in Güzelhisar, respectively.
Serhat Ural, head of the IZSU Water Treatment Department, advised AA that in recent times, precipitation has been irregular globally, affecting freshwater sources, emphasizing that as a result of a dry winter and sizzling summer time, the water stage in Tahtalı Dam has considerably dropped.
“Currently, Tahtalı Dam has 29.84% of water. This represents about eight-nine months’ worth of water for the Tahtalı Dam, which covers approximately 40% of Izmir’s needs. We can expect heavy rainfall, especially after January, following a hot summer. I’m not saying this to cause concern, but we are at the beginning of a drought,” he defined.
“Our current supply should last us until June, even if it doesn’t rain. But in any case, we urge our citizens to use water responsibly, whether our dams are full or not,” Ural famous.
“As of now, our dam hasn’t dropped below the 30% mark in the past 14 years. We are trying to use both underground and surface water sources equally to maintain both levels,” he stated.
Devastating penalties of drought have affected different residential areas within the nation, together with Türkiye’s widespread vacationer vacation spot, Bodrum, which is grappling with alarming water shortage points because of the latest closure of the principle two dams supplying the resort.
In response to the local weather disaster and to advertise water conservation, authorities have taken a number of initiatives, together with implementing a “Drought Management Plan” for 23 basins throughout the nation, introduced earlier this yr. These measures purpose to lift public consciousness in regards to the threats posed by local weather change and guarantee sustainable and environment friendly water consumption practices.
Source: www.dailysabah.com