A severe water shortage is taking place in Turkey. It is caused by climate change, ongoing droughts, mismanagement of water resources and urban expansion. It has affected almost the entire country. The crisis led to water shortage affecting many sectors in Turkey such as agriculture, industry and urban population. As the decline of rainfall and depleting of reservoirs continues, UN experts claim that 88% of Turkey faces desertification in the near future.
The country has been suffering for many years from water shortage, but 2025 is the worst drought in Turkey in over 50 years. [1] [2] [3] In comparison to the last three decades, rainfall has dropped by about 27%, while in some areas in the country, there was 71% less rain than in 2024. [1] [4] [2] The rain shortage has caused many reservoirs in major cities like Ankara, Istanbul and İzmir, along with areas like Tekirdag, the Konya Plain, and southeastern Anatolia, to drop to levels of less than 10%. [5] [6] [7] [8]
The water crisis goes beyond urban water shortage, as it has an effect on agriculture, irrigation systems and energy production. [9] [10] All are under a lot of stress, while at the same time, ecosystems are breaking up, wetlands and lakes dry up, leaving animals and vegetation at risk. [9] [11] [10] The UN report of 2025 concludes that 88% of Turkey's land area, faces desertification by the year 2030. [9] [8] The report says that without taking drastic measures Turkey will face major environmental damage, water and food shortage. [12]
Reports show there is a decline of 27% in rainfall in Turkey in comparison to the last 30 years' average. This is connected to global climate changes, rise in temperature that increase water evaporation and demand for water. [4] [13] [14] Turkey's growing population, especially in main cities like Istanbul, are weighing heavy on the country's water resources. [14] In correlation so are the water demands for the agricultural and industrial sectors. [15] [16] Turkey suffers from water loss through its distribution pipeline networks, resulting in an increase of water shortage. [16] [17] Turkey has no centralized water management system, as the a large number of agencies manage it separately. This makes it hard for the government to establish water management planning. [14] [18] As water reservoirs in northwestern provinces like Tekirdağ are depleted, causing water shortage, there is a growing competition as water curbs and rationing are imposed. [17] [19]
Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, is suffering from an ongoing water shortage. As of September 2025, its reservoir water stands on just 30%, when in April it was 82%. The sharp decline in water level was caused by lack of rainfall and the extreme summer heat. [20] [21] The Naip Dam in Tekirdağ, northwestern Turkey, was emptied by August 2025, due to a 95% decline in rainfall. So local authorities took emergency steps that included digging new wells and diverting irrigation water to domestic use, thus meeting water demand. [4] In the Konya Basin, the 21st century increase in production of water-intensive crops like sugar beet, corn, and alfalfa is part of the reason for groundwater level dropping by more than a metre a year. [22] By September many of the provinces dams had dropped to critical levels. [23]
The draught has had a grave effect on agriculture, mainly in central and southern Turkey. [24] [25] Crop yield has been reduced and 75% of the country's lakes have disappeared in the past 60 years, increasing environment damage. [26] [27] [28] The dried up areas are in danger of becoming deserts. According to experts, if this situation continues, Turkey will face reduced harvests and nature damage in the near future. Without significant reforms and climate adaptation strategies, Turkey will become a water scarce country by 2050. [14] Central Anatolia, that is Turkey's main agricultural area, is extremely vulnerable to desertification. [29] [12]
The governments response to the water crisis includes emergency measures of water rationing, especially during a period of which water pipelines are repaired. [30] [31] [32] In March the government launched a National Water Efficiency Initiative. Its purpose is to save water through education and new tariffs. Heavy users will be charged more than conservative users, so the population will avoid non essential uses, like watering gardens and washing cars. [33] [29] In September 2025, Turkey, with World Bank support, launched a $600 million project to manage floods and droughts. [34] It will build new facilities, use nature based solutions, improve monitoring, and add early warning systems. [35] [36]