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The Geyik Dam in the Bodrum district of southwestern Türkiye has fallen to its dead storage level, raising alarm among experts who warn that persistent drought and overuse could permanently deplete the region’s groundwater reserves.
The crisis follows a similar situation at the Mumcular Dam, another major source of water for the Bodrum Peninsula. With both reservoirs now at critically low levels, authorities are struggling to sustain water supplies through a combination of limited dam reserves and groundwater extraction.
According to associate professor Ceyhun Özçelik from Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University’s Department of Water Resources Engineering, the situation has reached a dangerous threshold. “As of today, there is about 40% overuse. We expect this figure to rise to around 70% by the end of the year,” Özçelik said. “If the drought continues in the coming years, we risk permanently drawing down our groundwater levels, which would make recovery nearly impossible.”
The State Hydraulic Works (DSI) is currently supplying a total of 23 million cubic meters of water to Bodrum, 5 million cubic meters each from the Mumcular and Geyik dams, and 13 million cubic meters from groundwater sources. Özçelik noted that, in previous years, water output from both dams was increased by around 80% due to drought conditions. However, this year, the capacity has only allowed a 20% increase, forcing local utilities to rely more heavily on underground reserves.
“Bodrum’s water problem is chronic,” Özçelik said. “Both the transmission infrastructure and the storage systems reveal how crucial it is to use our current water resources more efficiently.”
He warned that the lack of rainfall has already taken a significant toll. Nationwide, precipitation during the 2025 water year fell by about 26%, varying by region. “If low rainfall continues next year, our reservoirs will not have the chance to recover,” Özçelik added. “At present, many of them are nearly empty. If we keep drawing groundwater at this rate, we will lose our ability to restore it. To give reservoirs a chance to replenish, we must avoid extracting water from below the dead storage level.”
The ongoing drought and water management issues in Bodrum highlight a nationwide concern over Türkiye’s dwindling freshwater reserves amid rising demand and climate pressure.
Istanbul is also facing a worsening shortage, with dam levels dropping to 30.32%, down from 82.22% earlier this year, according to the Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI). Experts warn that daily consumption of 3.3 million cubic meters and reduced rainfall are driving the crisis, with 20 to 30 cities across Türkiye experiencing similar shortages.
The coming winter is viewed as crucial for replenishing reservoirs, as insufficient rainfall could leave major cities, including Bodrum and Istanbul, facing acute water scarcity in early 2026.
