Cyprus faces water shortage as dams reach critically low levels

Cyprus is facing a significant water shortage as dam levels plummet due to a severe drought and ongoing climate changes, raising concerns among national and local authorities. According to the Water Department, the country’s dams are only 30% full as of September 16, 2024. This figure is a sharp drop from last year’s 52.9% capacity, and officials are worried about how the island’s water reserves will hold up in the coming months.

Currently, the total water stored in Cyprus’s dams stands at 87.87 million cubic meters, far lower than the 153.7 million cubic meters recorded around the same time last year.

The largest dam, Kouris, is only 27.98% full, a stark contrast to the 48.8% level it maintained at this time last year. Similar drops have been noted across the country’s other large dams:

- Asprokremmos Dam is at 35.9%, down from 63.6% last year.
- Evretos Dam has dropped to 31.8% from 55.4%.
- Kalavasos Dam is at 23.3%, compared to 31% last year.
- Kanaviou Dam is 38.4%, down from 58%.

This year’s dam inflow of 24 million cubic meters is one of the lowest on record. For comparison, the best year in the last decade was 2018-2019, when 265 million cubic meters of water flowed into the dams, while the worst year was 2013-2014, with a mere 12 million cubic meters.

Bleak Forecasts for Rainfall

The outlook for the coming months is not promising. The Meteorological Department’s seasonal weather bulletin indicates that the drought is expected to persist. September, typically the driest month, is predicted to bring only 50-75% of normal rainfall in the northwest half of Cyprus, and less than 50% in the southeast.

October is forecasted to be even drier, with rainfall expected to fall below 50% of normal across the entire island. While November may bring some relief, rainfall levels are still predicted to be between 50-75% of normal, with only the northwest seeing slightly better conditions.

Authorities are urging the public to conserve water as much as possible and are closely monitoring the situation in case more drastic measures are needed in the months ahead.