Expert warns of water crisis in country’s popular tourist hub
An expert recently warned of a potential water shortage in Bodrum unless spring rains arrive soon, reporting a fall in water levels to merely 16% in one of the dams supplying the district
AN expert has recently raised the alarm over decreasing water levels in the dams of Bodrum, a popular tourist district in southwestern province of Muğla, urging preparedness ahead of the summer months.
According to recent local media reports, the water level in one of the dams supplying the district reached an alarming capacity of 16% due to rainfall shortages and rising temperatures.
While the water level in Geyik and Akgedik dams in Bodrum hovered around 60%, the water level in Mumcular Dam, which is used both for irrigation and drinking water, remained around 16%, according to the report of Demirören News Agency (DHA).
“By effectively managing the water in the dams that provide water to Bodrum, it is necessary to ensure the optimization of irrigation water, especially drinking water and to inform our farmers about this issue and to ensure that they are prepared for the summer months and dry periods,” said professor Ceyhun Özçelik, an expert of water resources from Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University.
Expressing that record-high temperatures were recorded in February in Türkiye, Özçelik emphasized the increasing impacts of climate change, both globally and within the country.
“We are experiencing crucial days for managing and controlling the effects of climate change. Similar conditions exist in our country,” he told DHA.
“In February, we witnessed an increase of approximately 3.4 degrees Celsius (6.1 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to seasonal norms, reaching 7.5 degrees Celsius.”
He said that both the Geyik and Akgedik Dam have water levels of around 60%, which is quite good compared to last year.
“There has been a serious increase in temperature in almost every part of our country, especially in the central Anatolian region, Black Sea, Marmara and Aegean region,” he said.
“While there was an increase in temperature, on the other hand, there was a serious decrease in precipitation. There was a precipitation deficiency of up to 42% across the country. This figure represents a decrease of around 24% compared to last year,” he explained.
“In Bodrum, the occupancy rate of both the Geyik Dam and the Akgedik Dam, from which additional water is supplied, is around 60%. Although this figure is not very high, it is quite good compared to last year, but I cannot say the same for Mumcular Dam. Unfortunately, the water level in Mumcular Dam is around 16%, and it still hasn’t gone any further,” he noted.
Özçelik emphasized the importance of closely monitoring spring precipitation, as Mumcular Dam provides both drinking water and irrigation water.
“Both drinking water and irrigation water are supplied to Karaova from the Mumcular Dam. If spring rains do not come, serious difficulties will arise in the supply of irrigation in Karaova. Spring rains need to be monitored thoroughly and carefully,” Özçelik said.
Last year, Bodrum’s dams were temporarily closed due to critically low water levels, causing a serious water crisis in the town.
In 2023, water was drawn from the bottom of dams, known as “dead volume,” to meet water demand partially.