Water levels in the Dniester River reservoir in Ukraine have fallen from 121.5 meters to below 111 meters, creating risks for hydropower generation and water supplies in Moldova. Moldova’s Environment Minister Georgi Hajder said the decline posed a threat to the country’s water resources.
At the government’s request, Moldova’s Parliament approved a 60-day hydrological state of emergency over the decline in water levels in the Dniester River, beginning on Saturday, September 27, 2026. The Dniester is considered one of Moldova’s main water sources.
Water level falls below critical threshold
According to Hajder, the reservoir level has fallen by more than 10 meters. The minister said the reservoir was no longer storing water but was instead channeling water from the Carpathians directly to Moldova. He added that the decline would be felt more strongly in the upper section of the river, extending to the Dubasari Reservoir, while the lower section was currently being protected by the reservoir.
The minister said that if water levels in Ukraine fell below 112 meters, technological risks would emerge for the hydropower plant and water-supply problems would begin in some areas.
New restrictions on water consumption
Environmental activist Ilia Trombicki warned of the rapid decline in the amount of water released from the Dniester reservoir. Trombicki said the water was being diverted into the main flow channel of the riverbed, exposing the riverbed in some areas and potentially causing significant damage to biodiversity.
The Moldovan authorities had previously restricted the use of drinking water and water from open sources for washing streets and sidewalks, filling pools and other non-priority activities. Industrial facilities not connected to food production, medicine or public health were asked to reduce their water consumption by at least 20 percent.