--- title: "Anti-record on the Dnister and the threat of water shut-offs in Kalush: which of Ukraine's reservoirs are drying up in late August 2026" description: "In late August 2026, the Dnister Reservoir set an anti-record for inflow over its 41 years of operation, while in Kalush water shut-off schedules may be introduced due to the drying up of the Chechvir reservoir." date: 2026-08-26T16:38:01.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-reservoirs-drying-up-dnister-antirecord-kalush tags: [water-shortage, dnister-reservoir, chechvin-reservoir, ukraine, drought, kalush] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Anti-record on the Dnister and the threat of water shut-offs in Kalush: which of Ukraine's reservoirs are drying up in late August 2026 ![Drying-up Dniester reservoir: exposed sandy shallows and low water level in late August 2026](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/27/melieut-vodokhranilishcha-ukrainy-antirekord-dnestr-kalush/melieut-vodokhranilishcha-ukrainy-antirekord-dnestr-kalush-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - On 25 August 2026, the minimum inflow over 41 years of operation was recorded at the Dnister Reservoir — 37 m³/s, less than 20% of the norm. - By 4 August, the reservoir had been drawn down by almost 3 meters over three months due to discharges into the lower reaches of the Dnister. - In Kalush, due to the critical drying up of the Chechvir Reservoir, the water reserve may last only 4–5 days; the authorities are preparing for smooth restrictions. In late August 2026, low water levels in Ukraine have stopped being a problem only for rivers: critically low reserves are now being recorded in entire reservoirs, including strategic ones. Photos of dried-up riverbeds and exposed sandbars clearly show just how far water levels have fallen. According to the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center (UkrGMets), the most alarming situation has developed at the Dnister Reservoir, located in the territory of Chernivtsi, Khmelnytskyi, Vinnytsia and Ternopil oblasts, as well as at the Chechvir Reservoir in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, on which the water supply of a number of settlements depends. ### Anti-record on the Dnister: inflow has dropped to 37 m³/s The low water levels that have set in on most rivers in the Dnister basin were reported by UkrGMets back in early August. As of 4 August, the agency noted that over three months — due to ensuring discharges into the lower reaches of the Dnister — the reservoir had been drawn down by almost 3 meters and was "approaching the lowest marks in its entire history." Later, on 25 August 2026, the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center recorded an anti-record: the minimum value of water inflow to the Dnister Reservoir over the entire period of its operation since 1985, that is, over 41 years. On that day the inflow was just 37 m³/s — by experts' estimate, even less than 20% of the norm. ### Why is there so little water Experts cite weather conditions and a prolonged lack of rainfall as the cause of the critical drying up. In simple terms, a record-low amount of water is flowing into the reservoir, which, according to specialists' warnings, can be dangerous both for the operation of infrastructure facilities and for the natural ecosystems of the basin. Against the backdrop of the ongoing decline in water levels in certain oblasts, the situation is causing growing concern among hydrologists and utility services. ### Kalush on the brink: what is happening with the Chechvir Reservoir Due to the lack of precipitation, the Chechvir Reservoir in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast has also dried up critically. This was discussed at the operational meeting of the executive committee of the Kalush City Council on 25 August, chaired by Mayor Andrii Naida. The director of the "Kalush Energy Company" municipal enterprise, Ihor Karaim, reported that "the situation at the water intake remains critical." According to him, on 22 August the utility enterprise appealed to the "Karpatneftekhim" LLC with a request to increase the opening of the sluices to 8 centimeters; after this, the water level at the intake "rose to the minimum necessary" and the sluices were closed. Meanwhile, the water level in the reservoir itself is only 30 centimeters above the minimum possible, and in the event of further decline, the reserve at the intake will last only 4–5 days. ### What the authorities and utility workers are doing To "stretch" the reserves for the population as much as possible, utility workers reduce the pressure in the network at night, but the situation remains difficult. The head of Kalush, Andrii Naida, emphasized that residents must be warned in advance about any possible restrictions or shut-off schedules: "So that it doesn't happen that in 4–5 days we are left without water at all. It is better to have a little, but to have it, than to have nothing at all." The mayor asked the director of the municipal enterprise to monitor the situation, calculate the possible restrictions and, if necessary, hold a technical council to assess how many days the water in the reservoir and tanks will last. Restrictions, he said, need to be introduced "smoothly." Karaim added that after flushing, the first and second tanks have been put into operation and filled, which somewhat increases the overall water reserve. ### Forecasts and risks The weather forecasts remain discouraging: the long-awaited precipitation that was promised at the beginning of the week has been "postponed" to the following one. This means that in the coming days the water supply situation in Kalush and the surrounding areas may worsen, and the regional authorities are preparing for the possible introduction of metered restrictions. As specialists note, the further decline in water levels in late August is causing serious concern and requires constant monitoring by hydrologists and utility enterprises. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Not only rivers are drying up: which reservoirs are setting anti-records and where people are already short on water](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/miliyut-lishe-richki-ki-vodoshovishcha-b-1787761299.html) - Базовый материал: антирекорд притока 37 м³/с на Днестровском ВХВ 25.08.2026, сработка на 3 м к 4.08, детали по Калушу и Чечвинскому ВХВ. - [Water is becoming scarcer: the Dnister Reservoir has reached a critical level](https://korrespondent.net/ukraine/4904738-vody-stanovytsia-vse-menshe-dnestrovskoe-vodokhranylysche-dostyhlo-krytycheskoi) - Подтверждает критический уровень Днестровского водохранилища и тренд снижения. - [The Dnister has dried up critically: Ukrenergo declared a water shortage](https://tsn.ua/ru/ukrayina/dnestr-kriticheski-obmelel-ukrgidroenergo-zayavilo-o-defitsite-vody-3152708.html) - Подтверждает дефицит воды и обмеление Днестра со ссылкой на Укргидроэнерго. - [Water inflow into the Dnister continues to decline. Khazhdzer: The situation is becoming increasingly tense](https://newsmaker.md/ru/pritok-vody-v-dnestr-prodoljaet-snijatsya-hajder-situacziya-stanovitsya-vse-bolee-napryajennoi) - Подтверждает продолжающееся снижение притока в Днестр и напряжённость ситуации (молдавский контекст бассейна). ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What anti-record has been recorded at the Dnister Reservoir? **A:** On 25 August 2026, the minimum water inflow over the entire period of operation since 1985 was recorded — just 37 m³/s, which is less than 20% of the norm. ### Q: How long will the water last in Kalush if the drying up continues? **A:** According to the director of the "Kalush Energy Company" municipal enterprise, if the level at the intake continues to fall, the water reserve in the Chechvir Reservoir will last only 4–5 days. ### Q: What are the authorities of Kalush doing to stabilize the situation? **A:** They are reducing the pressure in the network at night, filling the tanks after flushing, and Mayor Andrii Naida has ordered the possible water supply restrictions to be calculated in advance and introduced smoothly, with residents being warned.