Newsletters
The Nilufer Dam, one of two key reservoirs supplying drinking water to Bursa, the fourth-largest city of Türkiye, has completely dried up amid ongoing drought, while the nearby Doganci Dam is at just 19 percent capacity, officials said Tuesday.
Bursa Metropolitan Mayor Mustafa Bozbey warned that the city has only 35 days of water left. He announced that starting September 1, a new bypass line from the Cinarcik Dam will provide Bursa with an additional 110,000 cubic meters of water per day. The system will be activated in a ceremony with Governor Erol Ayyildiz.
“We are working to prevent cuts, but citizens must also use water sparingly,” Bozbey said, urging residents to conserve.
Drone footage released by IHA showed the barren bed of Nilufer Dam, which has a capacity of 60 million cubic meters. Doganci Dam, with a capacity of 110 million cubic meters, remains at dangerously low levels.
Recalling warnings from scientists that Türkiye could face desertification by the 2040s, Bozbey said authorities had prepared crisis plans for Cinarcik Dam earlier this year. “We predicted that the 2025 summer would be extremely hot. With the bypass line, we will secure supply without cuts, but we still ask residents to save water until rains arrive in mid-September,” he added.
2 min read
