Ministry of Energy: Reduction of water passes through the Euphrates Dam by 200 m³/s
The Ministry of Energy announced the reduction of water passes through the Euphrates Dam by 200 cubic meters per second, after the technical staff at the General Corporation for the Dam closed Gate No. (5) of the dam's overflow.
The ministry said in a statement published on its official identifiers that this measure came as a result of the continued decline in water imports from the Turkish side, which provided the possibility of the Euphrates Dam General Corporation reducing water passes from the dam once again to reach the limit of 1200 m³/s.
The ministry explained that only two gates of the overflow are still operating, as part of a well-thought-out plan to preserve the body of the dam and return the river level to its normal levels gradually and safely, in a way that reduces the risk of floods and maintains the safety of the population communities near the riverbed.
The Ministry confirmed that the technical and engineering teams are working around the clock to monitor the water reality, measure changes in the level, and take any additional operational measures when needed, to ensure the safety of water facilities and the stability of the flow of water along the Euphrates Stream.
Advanced Operational Step
The Ministry of Energy's announcement comes as an advanced operational step aimed at ending the wave of exceptional flood flows witnessed in the Euphrates River during the past days, which peaked last week at about 2000 m³/s due to rainstorms and melting snow in the upper basin.
This measure represents the third phase of the ministry's plan to reduce discharge, as passes have been reduced from 1800 m³/s to 1400 m³/s after the closure of the fourth gate, and up to 1200 m³/s currently, with only two gates kept running.
These steps aim to protect population centers and agricultural lands in the countryside of Raqqa and Deir Ezzor, and to limit the damage caused by the rise of the level, while ensuring the structural integrity of the dam body and the stability of the water situation along the riverbed.
Opening the Ashar Bridge to Light Vehicles and Pedestrians
The head of the Deir Ezzor City Council announced on Monday that the water level of the Euphrates River has decreased in a number of areas affected by the floods, stressing that most sites have become safe, except for some points adjacent to the river.
The head of the city council explained that the area of Al-Hawiqa witnessed a decrease in the water level on the western corniche by more than 25 centimeters, with the water retreating behind the barrier of the pier adjacent to the river, indicating that the Corniche Street adjacent to the river in Hawija Sakr is still flooded with water and is considered unsafe, while the water has partially receded from the second street.
Some houses and farmland in the area are still submerged, he said, but Hawija Sakr "is considered safe except for Corniche Road, which is adjacent to the river".
In a related context, the Emergency Response Committee in Deir Ezzor announced the opening of the Al-Ashara Bridge to light vehicle and pedestrian traffic from the first day of June 2026 until twelve o'clock at night, after the improvement of field conditions and the decrease in the water level in the area.
1800 dunums damaged in Raqqa
Al-Raqqa governor Abdul Rahman Salameh pointed out that about 1,800 dunums of agricultural lands in the province were damaged and about 10 water pumps were out of service as a result of the rise in the river level, indicating that some of them began to return to work as water levels declined.
The tents of about 175 families who lived in a camp on the banks of the Euphrates were damaged by the floods, Salameh said, stressing that some affected families began to return to their homes as the river's water receded.
He called on civilians to rely on the information issued by the official authorities, and to follow up on instructions and guidelines related to the situation on the ground.