Shafaq News/ Water levels at Dukan Dam have dropped to just 24% of capacity, the dam’s director revealed on Monday.

Kocher Jamal told Shafaq News the reservoir currently holds only 1.6 billion cubic meters of water—a 30% drop compared to last year. “This is the lowest level recorded in the last 20 to 25 years.”

Jamal blamed the decline on climate change and upstream water restrictions. Winter rainfall reached only 220 millimeters, well below the regional average of 600. He also cited upstream dams on the Little Zab River in neighboring countries for significantly reducing inflows to Lake Dukan.

Notably, the alarming water shortfall at Dukan Dam comes as large areas of the Kurdistan Region depend on the dam for both irrigation and drinking water. Officials warn that without immediate action—such as regional water-sharing agreements and emergency conservation measures—the shortage could deepen the Region’s growing water crisis.