Reservoirs in Turkmenistan are Completely Drying Up

Reservoirs in Turkmenistan are Completely Drying Up

According to Meteojurnal, the Mammetköl and Delili reservoirs in Turkmenistan’s Balkan region have completely dried up due to low precipitation and the cessation of water inflow from the Etrek River.

The Mammetköl reservoir, commissioned in 1964, has a total capacity of 20.5 million cubic meters and a usable volume of 17.9 million cubic meters. Delili, put into operation in 1970, has a total and usable volume of 5.32 million cubic meters.

Reports indicate that in 2025, precipitation levels were within the norm only in February and March, while in other months they were significantly below average. In January, only 1.6 mm of rainfall was recorded, while in May — just 1.4 mm. No rain fell during June–August, and autumn was also reported to be dry.

Due to reduced precipitation during the first half of 2025, hydrological drought intensified in river basins and water bodies outside the Amu Darya basin. This led to a sharp decline in water levels in the Murgab and Tejen reservoirs.

Artificial water bodies fed by the low-water Atrek River have completely dried up. By autumn, the water supply situation in the reservoirs of the Amu Darya basin had also deteriorated.