Iran’s dams enter February with water volumes still down

Iran’s major dams entered the second month of winter with water reserves still sharply lower than a year ago, according to official data.
Figures from Iran Water Resources Management Company showed that inflows to dams since the start of the current water year on September 22, 2025 through January 25, 2026 totaled 6.62 billion cubic meters, down eight percent from 7.22 billion cubic meters over the same period last year.

Stored water volumes fell more steeply. Reservoir levels stood at 18.37 billion cubic meters as of Jan. 25, down 19 percent from 22.43 billion cubic meters a year earlier.
To manage limited supplies, withdrawals from dams were reduced. Water releases since the start of the water year reached 6.88 billion cubic meters, a decline of 26 percent compared with 9.27 billion cubic meters last year. Average reservoir fill levels stood at about 35 percent.

Despite the overall decline, several dams recorded sharp year-on-year increases.
The Esteghlal dam in Hormozgan province held 186 million cubic meters of water, up 1,196 percent from last year.
The Shamil and Nian dam in the same province reached 29 million cubic meters, up 100 percent, while the Serni dam held 24 million cubic meters, up 160 percent.

The Nesa dam in Kerman province rose 169 percent to 52 million cubic meters.
Ten major dams nationwide remain below 10 percent of capacity, the data showed.
In Tehran province, conditions remained fragile.

Amir Kabir dam held just 6.0 million cubic meters of water, down 83 percent from a year earlier.
Taleghan dam stood at 92 million cubic meters, a 58 percent decline.
Latian and Mamloo dams together held 23 million cubic meters, down 50 percent, while Lar dam stood at 10 million cubic meters, down 27 percent year on year.