186 of 240 lakes of Türkiye have completely dried up over the past 60 years, while the remaining ones face severe drought and pollution. This environmental crisis reflects a broader picture as more than half of the world's large lakes and reservoirs have shrunk in the last three decades. But what is the reason behind the disappearance of Türkiye’s lakes? Dursun Yıldız, President of the Water Policies Association, and Burçin Yaraşlı,wetlands expert at Doğa Association, told Scrolli.
Wetlands are among the most biologically productive ecosystems after rainforests, playing a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and preserving biodiversity. These areas provide essential ecosystem services such as freshwater supply, flood control, and mitigating the effects of climate change. However, they are increasingly under threat worldwide.
Türkiye has 122 wetlands, but only 14 are protected under the Ramsar Convention. Experts report that since the 1960s, half of Türkiye’s wetlands have lost their ecological integrity. Pollution, drought, and unregulated hunting pose significant threats, making effective river basin management and conservation policies essential for their survival.
According to the UN Report, more than 75% of the world’s land experienced drier conditions over the past 30 years, with arid regions expanding by 4.3 million km²—nearly half the size of Australia. Drylands now cover 41% of global land, driven largely by human-induced climate change.
The population in these regions has doubled since 1990, reaching 2.3 billion in 2020. If emissions remain high, up to 5 billion people may live in arid areas by 2100. Key affected regions include the western U.S., Mediterranean, Sahel, and parts of Asia, Africa, and Australia.
Expanding drought worsens water scarcity, food insecurity, biodiversity loss, wildfires, and migration. Without urgent action, over 20% of global land may face abrupt ecosystem shifts, severely impacting vulnerable communities.
Burdur Lake, Türkiye’s seventh-largest, has experienced a drastic decline in water levels, dropping 20.29 meters since its peak of 851 meters in 1970. Over the past 54 years, the lake’s volume has shrunk by nearly half, decreasing by 47%. The lake is rapidly losing water due to factors such as climate change, illegal drilling and wild irrigation.
Straddling the border between Afyonkarahisar and Denizli, Acıgöl is among Türkiye’s protected lakes. However, its water level has fallen by 50% over the last four decades, putting it in serious danger of drying up completely. The lake is home to 192 species of birds, including flamingos.
Due to the climate crisis, excessive water use by nearby quarries and mines, and water-intensive agriculture, Burdur's Yarışlı Lake, an 'Important Nature Area,' has dried up, forcing 141 bird species, including flamingos, to leave.
Eber Lake, located between the districts of Bolvadin, Çay, and Sultandağı in Afyonkarahisar, supports various bird and fish species. Once reaching depths of 24 meters, the lake’s water level had dropped to just 1 meter by 2021. A key stopover for migratory birds, Eber Lake now faces the risk of completely drying out every summer.
Düden Lake, known as a “bird paradise,” is situated 5 km east of Konya’s Kulu district, near Salt Lake. However, Lake Düden and its neighboring Lake Küçük have completely dried up due to the intense groundwater use in the region and the effects of global warming.
Türkiye’s second-largest lake and a key source of 40% of the country’s salt, Salt Lake has visibly receded over the past 40 years, as evident in satellite images.
Karataş Lake, in Burdur’s Karamanlı district, is an essential habitat for waterfowl and a water source for agriculture. However, it has been hit hard by drought, completely drying up in the summer of 2021 before partially refilling.
Meke Lake, a crater lake in Turkey, has suffered the same fate as Akşehir Lake. Once containing water levels of 5-6 meters, it has now completely dried up, leaving no visible water behind.
Türkiye’s lakes and wetlands are disappearing, according to Dursun Yıldız, President of the Water Policies Association, the main culprit is not climate change alone—it’s poor water management. “Yes, decreasing rainfall and rising temperatures have an impact, but the real issue is our failure to adopt an integrated management model that includes our lakes and wetlands,” he said.
Yıldız pointed out that Türkiye’s water management system is fragmented and lacks coordination. “Türkiye's water management system is fragmented and uncoordinated, making it ineffective in protection measures. Because of legal and institutional shortcomings, we cannot protect or manage our wetlands properly,” he explained. “Unplanned management, inefficient use of surface water, and excessive, uncontrolled groundwater extraction are severely damaging our wetlands.”
Pollution is another major factor. “The domestic, industrial, and agricultural waste that enters these ecosystems is destroying them,” he added. “Weaknesses in water management play a decisive role in the drying up of our lakes and wetlands.”
Türkiye has 122 registered wetlands, but not all have management plans. “So far, we have completed plans for only 76 wetlands, which means 46 are still left unaddressed,” Yıldız said. While he acknowledged this as a shortcoming, he stressed that the bigger issue is a lack of integration. “Even if we prepare management plans for each wetland individually, they won’t be effective unless they are integrated into broader river basin management strategies,” he explained. “Without a comprehensive, basin-scale approach, we cannot achieve sustainable wetland management.”
Türkiye, a semi-arid country, naturally faces droughts, but mismanagement is accelerating the crisis. Despite policies like the 2014 National Basin Management Strategy and the 2019 National Water Plan, wetlands continue to shrink. Dursun Yıldız, President of the Water Policies Association, argues that the real issue is fragmented governance and weak institutions, not just climate change.
“Climate change is reducing rainfall and increasing evaporation, but poor water management is the bigger threat,” he warns. Lack of coordination, ineffective basin-scale management, and inadequate funding prevent real solutions. “Before increasing budgets, we must first strengthen the institutions responsible for using them efficiently,” he adds.
Public awareness is crucial, but misinformation is a growing problem. Yıldız criticized a widely circulated claim that 186 out of Türkiye’s 240 lakes have completely dried up. “Last September, major newspapers ran this headline, but we at the Water Policies Association chose not to comment,” he said. “We didn’t want to speculate without official data.”
Instead, his organization sent official inquiries to the State Hydraulic Works, the Water Management Directorate, and the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks. “None of these institutions responded,” he revealed. “This lack of transparency is a big part of the problem. If the public doesn’t have access to reliable information, they cannot understand what’s really happening.”
Burçin Yaraşlı, a wetlands expert at Doğa Derneği, warns that misguided water and agricultural policies, unchecked projects, and excessive water use are rapidly drying Türkiye’s wetlands. Over the past 60 years, dams, reservoirs, and hydroelectric plants have disrupted river flows, cutting off crucial water sources. “The Gördes Dam, for instance, completely dried up Marmara Lake,” she notes.
Agricultural overuse is another major factor. Yaraşlı explains that high-water-demand crops are encouraged, leading to excessive water extraction from lakes and underground reserves. In regions like the Konya Closed Basin, the Lakes Region, and the Aegean, farmers resort to illegal wells to sustain their livelihoods, further depleting groundwater. “Burdur Lake is shrinking due to over-extraction for irrigation and livestock farming,” she notes.
Industry adds further strain. Organized industrial zones, thermal plants, and mining projects are lowering groundwater levels and destroying habitats. Coastal wetlands like the Gediz Delta, she warns, face relentless urban and industrial pressure.
Despite the scale of the crisis, public awareness remains low. Yaraşlı believes this is because wetlands are undervalued in decision-making. “Wetlands are among the most productive and biodiverse ecosystems,” she states. They not only provide habitat for thousands of species but also play a crucial role in regulating the water cycle.
“They act as natural buffers against droughts and floods, helping recharge groundwater and filter water,” Yaraşlı explains. She emphasizes that places like the Gediz Delta, Manyas Bird Paradise, Burdur Lake, and the Konya Basin are essential stopover and breeding sites for migratory birds. Their destruction leads to severe biodiversity loss, particularly for endangered species.
Beyond ecology, wetlands support local economies. “Thousands of people in Türkiye depend on wetlands for farming and fishing,” Yaraşlı points out. The drying up of Marmara Lake, for example, has not only led to biodiversity loss but also devastated communities that relied on it for their livelihoods.
She also warns that wetland loss worsens Türkiye’s water crisis. “As groundwater levels drop, securing drinking and irrigation water becomes increasingly difficult. Combined with climate change, this intensifies drought risks,” she explains.
Can Türkiye’s dried-up lakes be revived? Yaraşlı believes it is possible but requires a science-based, holistic approach. “First, water management policies must prioritize ecosystem health and minimize interference with natural water cycles,” she says.
She calls for reassessing existing dams and reservoirs. “Infrastructure projects should be evaluated for their impact on wetlands, and where necessary, modifications or removals should be considered,” Yaraşlı suggests.
Agricultural practices must also change. Türkiye’s National Water Plan (2019–2023) shows that 74% of annual water consumption goes to irrigation. Yaraşlı stresses that “high-water-demand crops should be phased out in favor of drought-resistant farming, and efficient irrigation techniques like drip irrigation should be promoted.” She also calls for stricter controls on illegal wells and groundwater extraction.
Industrial and urban pressure on wetlands must also be curbed. Yaraşlı insists that “nature protection laws should be strengthened and strictly enforced to prevent wetland destruction.” In addition, policies should focus on improving water efficiency and enhancing the resilience of natural ecosystems against climate change.
Restoring dried-up lakes is possible, but it requires commitment. “Successful restoration depends on scientific data, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and long-term strategies to restore natural water flows,” Yaraşlı concludes.
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