Water Levels in Mashhad Dams Drop Below 3% Amid Iran’s Worsening Drought

Water Levels in Mashhad Dams Drop Below 3% Amid Iran’s Worsening Drought
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Water levels at the reservoirs supplying the Iranian city of Mashhad have fallen below 3%, highlighting the country’s deepening water crisis, The Guardian reported. Hossein Esmaeilian, head of the local water company, said the situation had reached a critical stage, warning that water management was now an urgent necessity.

Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest and holiest city with around 4 million residents, depends on four dams, which now provide only a fraction of the 8,000 litres per second consumed. Officials have urged residents to cut usage by 20% to avoid rationing, warning that those with excessive consumption may face supply restrictions.

The crisis extends beyond Mashhad, with 19 major dams nationwide — about 10% of Iran’s reservoirs — effectively dry, according to the Iranian Water Resources Management Company. In Tehran, authorities have warned of possible rolling water cuts as the capital’s five main dams reach critical levels, with one completely empty.

President Masoud Pezeshkian cautioned that continued drought without rainfall before winter could make even the capital uninhabitable. Iranian newspapers have blamed the crisis partly on mismanagement and political interference, saying unqualified leadership has worsened the environmental situation.