Drought depletes Turkey's Tekirdag reservoirs, forcing emergency water curbs
By Ali Kucukgocmen
TEKIRDAG, Turkey (Reuters) -A drought in Turkey's northwestern province of Tekirdag has left the area's main dams without potable water, straining infrastructure and leaving some homes without water for weeks, due to a sharp drop in precipitation in the country this year.
Authorities say drought is a critical issue, with several provinces warning of limited fresh water supply this summer.
Various areas in Izmir, Turkey's third-most populous province, have experienced frequent water cuts this month, while the municipality in the western province of Usak was told over the weekend it would have access to water just six hours a day, with the main water reservoir depleted.
Rainfall slumped 71% in July across the country from a year ago, according to Turkey's Meteorological Service. In the Marmara region, which includes Tekirdag and Istanbul, it shrank 95% below the monthly norm in July.
In the ten months to August, precipitation sank 32% in Marmara compared to the norm, while it fell 26% across Turkey to the lowest in 52 years.
ALTERNATIVES
The water level in Tekirdag's Naip Dam, which has not seen any rainfall in June and July, fell to zero percent in August.
That has forced authorities to find alternatives like delivering irrigation water for domestic use and building a pump system for delivery into urban areas.
The dam's water level was 21% this time last year, according to the State Hydraulic Works.
Mehmet Ali Sismanlar, head of Tekirdag's Water and Sewerage Administration (TESKI), said rainfall in Tekirdag has reduced dramatically over the past decade, and severe drought over the last two years has spurred frequent water cuts in some areas this summer.
"We are the area and the province that has been affected the most by the drought in Turkey," he said, attributing it to climate change.
The water in Turkmenli dam, usually used for irrigation, was used to supply water to Tekirdag's Marmaraereglisi district, where some neighbourhoods faced water cuts.
TESKI was working to open new wells to use ground water, not usually a preferred measure, Sismanlar said. He said ground water had sunk to twice its original depth over the years.
Mehmet, 70, a resident who lives in the Dereagzi neighbourhood with his family, said their home has had no water for two months, leaving them unable to shower or perform chores, and they were fetching water from nearby areas in large bottles.
"I have been living in filth for the past two months," he said, standing among dirty piles of dishes in the kitchen, and adding that he last showered when he went to Istanbul, around 130 kilometres (81 miles) away.
His wife, Fatma, 65, said the family stayed up at night to fill up bottles in case water supply is resumed.
Remzi Karabas, 71, said he takes his laundry to Istanbul to be washed, but was done with living in Tekirdag.
"We'll leave some day soon. What can we do here? Water does not flow at all."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Delaware's 10-month drought watch lifted by Gov. Matt Meyer
Gov. Matt Meyer lifted Delaware out of a drought watch 10 months after former Gov. John Carney announced it. The state is in a precipitation surplus in the past six months, and drought conditions have been subsiding since an extremely dry period in fall 2024. Cities across Delaware did not have any measurable rain for more than 30 days from October into November 2024, so Carney announced a drought watch, recommending that residents save water. The drought affected the entire region, with Pennsylvania and New Jersey taking similar precautions in late 2024. Despite lingering drought conditions in early 2025, rainy summer weather dragged the state out of the drought watch. Gerald Kauffman, director of the University of Delaware Water Resources Center, said the holdup was more administrative than anything. Streamflow, salt levels in rivers and groundwater levels are where they should be. "You can look at it scientifically or look at the weather this morning," Kauffman said on a showery, dreary Tuesday morning. DROUGHT IMPROVEMENT Delaware has been mostly pulled out of severe drought He said the decision was made on Monday afternoon after a public meeting with Meyer and DNREC Secretary Greg Patterson based on recommendations from the State's Water Supply Coordinating Council, of which Kauffman is a member. He said the public and administrative process of declaring and rescinding drought watches was important so the state can avoid going "back and forth." Now, all of the indicators show normal water levels in Delaware. There is no level of drought in any county, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Meyer encouraged water conservation regardless of drought status in a statement from Aug. 18. 'Lifting the drought watch is welcome news after nearly a year of dry conditions, and I want to thank every Delawarean who did their part to conserve water,' Meyer said in the statement. 'With rainfall returning to normal, our state is in a much stronger position heading into the fall. While water conditions have improved, we should carry forward the lesson that water is one of our most precious natural resources, and it's up to all of us to use it wisely.' Shane Brennan covers Wilmington and other Delaware issues. Reach out with ideas, tips or feedback at slbrennan@ This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware no longer under drought watch after 10 months
CBS News
3 hours ago
- CBS News
Tons of debris from Placer County bridge that collapsed in 1964 is finally being removed
Starting Tuesday, crews will begin the process of removing steel and concrete debris that's been sitting in the American River for decades. The old State Route 49 Bridge collapsed in 1964 after the Hell Hole Dam failed following a significant weather event. According to Placer County, more than 750 tons of metal and concrete were left in the riverbed. After more than 60 years, phase one will get underway to remove that debris. It has been a drawn-out process to make the cleanup effort happen. In 2022, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a budget that included $8 million to Placer County to complete the project. Tuesday's work is just the start of the first phase of the removal effort. Crews will be building out a temporary ramp to help provide access for the heavy equipment required. People driving on SR-49 are urged to slow down and watch for work crews. Trail closures are also in effect in the area. Parking is also impacted along SR-49, and water recreation is completely closed between the Old Foresthill Road Bridge and No Hands Bridge.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Huge wildfires stabilising in Spain, cooler forecast fuels hope worst is over
Huge wildfires stabilising in Spain, cooler forecast fuels hope worst is over By Nacho Doce and Guillermo Martinez GONDULFES, Spain (Reuters) -Wildfires raging in northern and western Spain have burned through nearly the same area in the past 24 hours as in all of last year, although the end of a 16-day heatwave and expected rainfall have fanned hopes that an end may be in sight. The fires have spread over the regions of Extremadura, Galicia, and Castile and Leon, forcing authorities to suspend rail services and cut access to roads in the area, as well as blocking a 50 km (30 mile) stretch of the popular Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail. Data on Tuesday from the European Forest Fire Information System showed the fires have burned vegetation on 38,000 hectares (94,000 acres) since Monday, just below 42,000 hectares during the whole of 2024. However, the national weather agency, which on Monday declared the end of one of the longest heatwaves in the past five decades, now expects temperatures to fall and humidity to rise. "The evolution is favourable, the teams are stabilising the fires," Castile and Leon regional leader Alfonso Fernandez Manueco told reporters. The region, Spain's largest, is one of the worst hit by the blazes. "If weather trends continue, we will be better tomorrow than today and better the day after tomorrow," Manueco said. The weather agency said adverse conditions would remain in southern Spain, including in part of Extremadura. So far this year, an estimated 382,600 hectares have burned in Spain - an area equivalent to the size of the island of Mallorca - according to the EFFIS. It is the largest area in records that go back to 2006 and more than four times the 2006-2024 average. Visiting the fires in Extremadura, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the government would declare many of the affected areas as emergency zones, which in practice means they will be eligible to receive aid for reconstruction. Blaming the fires on the effects of climate change, he also said he would propose a plan next month to turn climate emergency policies into permanent state policies. He gave no details, but the authorities have been focusing on fire prevention and response planning. "We're seeing the climate emergency accelerate and worsen significantly, particularly in the Iberian Peninsula, each year," he said. Opposition leaders have said his proposal is a way to divert attention from his government's poor handling of the fires. Most of Southern Europe is experiencing one of its worst wildfire seasons in two decades. The Spanish army has deployed 3,400 troops and 50 aircraft to help firefighters, while Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands and Slovakia have sent hundreds of firefighters, vehicles and aircraft. The Interior Ministry said that since June, 32 people have been arrested and 93 were under investigation for suspected arson. (Writing by Inti Landauro; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Alison Williams)
