İSKİ announces Istanbul dam occupancy rate drops to 48.13%

Istanbul's water reserves are dwindling, with the overall occupancy rate of the city's dams dropping to 48.13% as of August 20, 2026, according to the Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (İSKİ).

This figure represents a significant decrease from the average occupancy rate of 58.68% recorded in mid-July. İSKİ's data clearly indicates that the rapid decline since the beginning of August is a direct consequence of high evaporation rates driven by summer heat and a surge in water consumption.

The dams on the Anatolian side, primarily Ömerli and Elmalı, continue to bear the brunt of supplying the city's water needs. However, the situation is more critical on the European side, where dams such as Istrancalar, Pabuçdere, and Sazlıdere have fallen below crucial levels.

İSKİ provided a detailed breakdown of individual dam occupancy rates on August 20: Ömerli Barajı stands at 68.36%, Darlık Barajı at 65.79%, Elmalı Barajı at 78.4%, Terkos Barajı at 40.98%, Alibey Barajı at 46.78%, Büyükçekmece Barajı at 33.87%, Sazlıdere Barajı at 26.91%, Istrancalar Barajı at 34.03%, Kazandere Barajı at 23.4%, and Pabuçdere Barajı at 17.35%.