Receding Kayseri dam waters uncover four lost settlements

KAYSERİ

The receding waters of Gümüşören Dam in the central province of Kayseri have unveiled the remains of four long-submerged settlements.

Located in the Develi district, the dam has seen its water level drop drastically due to prolonged drought and excessive water consumption, exposing the remnants of the old villages of Yenice and Çukuryurt, along with the hamlets of Beşkardesler and Menengi.

Commissioned in 2015, the Gümüşören Dam was built to irrigate 57,000 hectares of farmland across the Develi Plain, while also supporting electricity generation and fisheries that contribute significantly to the local economy.

However, its water volume has now declined to just 27 percent of capacity — the lowest level ever recorded.

“We are currently storing water at around 71 million cubic meters, compared to 186 million when full,” said Cemalettin Yıldız, director of the Gümüşören Dam and Hydroelectric Power Plant.

“If this amount drops to 60 million cubic meters, the system will no longer function, and irrigation will be impossible. We’ve seen times when the dam overflowed, but now we’re at the lowest level ever. At this rate, irrigation can only continue for another 20 days,” he warned.

Yıldız noted that the decline in water levels has brought to light the submerged settlements.

“We used to see just the mosque minarets sticking out of the water in old photos, but now even the foundations are visible,” he said. “Beşkardeşler, Menengi, Çukuryurt and Yenice have all resurfaced, something that hasn’t happened since the dam was built.”

For residents of the region, the reemergence of their ancestral homes has been both emotional and alarming.

Erol Çalışkan, headman of the Yenice neighborhood, recalled his childhood memories as he walked among the ruins. “The dam was completed in 2015, and this is the first time I’ve seen our old village exposed like this,” he said. “Our school, homes and mosque have reappeared. It’s emotional. Memories of our lives here come flooding back. We were happy, peaceful people then.”

Despite the sentimental value of seeing their past resurface, villagers remain deeply worried about the drought’s toll on agriculture.

“The water has receded nearly a kilometer,” Çalışkan said. “We used to have gardens here that we irrigated to sustain our families. Now, the water has moved far from the land, and we can no longer farm. This year has been particularly harsh in terms of climate.”

As Türkiye enters the rainy season, officials and farmers alike hope for replenishing rains to restore the reservoir.