Iran's Amir Kabir Dam, commonly known as the Karaj Dam, has reached its dead storage level, leaving no safe capacity for further water extraction, according to a report by Tasnim on November 19.  

Current reserves stand at around 10mn cubic metres, equal to the dam’s dead volume, meaning water cannot be withdrawn without jeopardising the structural safety of the facility.

Commissioned in 1961 under the former Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as Iran’s first multi‑purpose dam, the Karaj Dam has long been one of the five main sources of drinking water for Tehran Province. Officials now warn that the present shortage is unprecedented in the dam’s 63‑year history.

Located 63 kilometres north‑west of Tehran on the Karaj-Chalus road, the dam’s catchment area covers 764 square kilometres with an average annual inflow of 472mn cubic metres. Yet, according to the latest report from Iran’s Water Resources Management Company, only 10mn cubic metres remain stored out of a total reservoir capacity of 205mn cubic metres. In other words, just 6% of the dam is full.

At the same time last year, the reservoir held 72mn cubic metres, equivalent to more than 35% capacity. The comparison highlights a dramatic 86% decline in reserves. Earlier this autumn, when storage dropped to 28mn cubic metres, the dam’s power plant was forced offline as water levels fell below the intake tunnel.

Experts caution that unless significant rainfall arrives in the upper catchment this month, even limited withdrawals for drinking, agriculture and environmental needs will soon become impossible.

Iran is now enduring its sixth consecutive year of drought. Combined with years of poor water management, the country faces a severe crisis in supplying both agricultural and domestic demand.

Many of Iran’s dams are drying up and risk being rendered completely inoperative if current conditions persist. Recent satellite data indicate a dramatic decline in snow cover across the country's highlands, fueling concerns about intensifying water shortages already impacting Tehran and other cities, IntelliNews reported on November 17.

According to the newly released statistics, the volume of snow recorded across the country is 98.6% lower than the same period in 2024 and 99.8% below the 20‑year average — figures that experts describe as “unprecedented decline.”

Nearby, Latyan Dam, one of Tehran's primary water sources, has also fallen to approximately 9% of its capacity, marking the lowest reservoir level since its completion, the Ministry of Energy reported on November 13.

The dam's reservoir, which has a capacity of around 95mn cubic metres, has faced a continuous decline in reserves over the past 10 years. Consecutive droughts, a 40% to 50% drop in rainfall, and increased urban consumption have pushed the dam to its lowest storage level in recent history, with overall levels across dams feeding the capital city reaching an average of 5% capacity.

To stem the losses, Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi warned that a Tehran household consuming 145 times the standard water consumption pattern will face disconnection in addition to fines, as authorities intensify efforts to enforce fair usage, Tasnim reported on November 12.

Iran has recorded just 3.5 millimetres of rainfall over the past 50 days, equivalent to 18% of the normal average, with 20 provinces receiving no precipitation at all, Khabaronline reported on November 13.

The previous water year marked the country's fifth consecutive dry year, accompanied by a 40% decrease in rainfall. This sharp decline in precipitation created difficult conditions for drinking water supply, agriculture, and various consumption needs, according to Hamshahri.

Despite severe reductions in water resources in dams and reservoirs, the country managed to pass the previous water year with minimal disruption. Tehran and Bandar Abbas experienced unprecedented water shortages last year, with dam water volumes reaching their lowest levels in operational history.