Drought halts electricity supply to the Karkheh Dam in Iran... an unprecedented water crisis
In a worrying sign of the worsening water and climate crisis in the region, Iranian authorities announced on Saturday the suspension of electricity production operations at the Karkheh Dam , one of the largest dams in the country and the Middle East region, due to a sharp and noticeable drop in the water level inside the reservoir, according to official media reports.
Turbines stopped and the water level dropped
Amir Mahmoudi, director of the Karkheh Dam and its associated power plant, stated that the electricity-generating units have been completely taken offline. In remarks to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), he explained that this decision was made out of necessity due to the water level dropping to critical levels that prevent the safe and efficient operation of the turbines.
The Iranian official indicated that water is currently being released through the dam's lower valves only to meet the basic needs of citizens in the beneficiary areas, and not for power generation. Mahmoudi revealed alarming figures: the current reservoir is only about one billion cubic meters, while the water level stands at 180 meters, a full 40 meters below the normal level required to operate the power plants.
The strategic importance of the Karkheh Dam
The Karkheh Dam holds immense strategic importance, situated on the Karkheh River, 22 kilometers northwest of the city of Andimeshk in Khuzestan Province (southwest Iran). It is considered the largest earth dam in Iran and the Middle East, and among the largest in the world. Khuzestan Province, rich in oil and agriculture, relies heavily on this dam for irrigating its agricultural lands and providing energy; therefore, any disruption to its electricity generation would be a severe blow to the region's infrastructure and local economy.
Iran and the confrontation with “water bankruptcy”
This event is not isolated; it comes amid a severe climate crisis gripping Iran, which is facing one of its most intense droughts since climate records began nearly six decades ago. Local reports indicate that rainfall has plummeted by a shocking 90% this year compared to the long-term average, posing serious environmental and economic challenges to the country.
This chronic drought has caused water levels in reservoirs and dams that supply many provinces to plummet to record lows. In an attempt to address the crisis, authorities have resorted to various measures, including holding prayers for rain in several cities, launching cloud seeding operations to stimulate rainfall, and implementing schedules for periodic water and electricity cuts to ration consumption.
Environmental organizations warn that Iran, which is classified as an arid and semi-arid country, will suffer from an exacerbation of these phenomena in the future due to global climate change, which calls for a review of water resource management policies to avoid potential environmental and social disasters.
