15.12.2025 13:36
The water level in Lake Sapanca, which is experiencing the driest period in the last 65 years, has dropped to its lowest level in history at 28.54 meters due to decreasing rainfall, as well as unconscious and illegal usage. Photos taken of Lake Sapanca have revealed the severity of the situation.
The water level in Lake Sapanca, which has experienced the driest period in the last 65 years, has fallen below the critical threshold to 28.54 meters.
MAJOR WATER DRAINS HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCED FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS Lake Sapanca, one of the important water sources in the Marmara Region, is fed by water from the mountains to the south. The lake is nourished by the Karaçay, Kuruçay, Kurtköy, Mahmudiye, Istanbul, Karadere, and Kaymakçı streams. Under normal conditions, the water level of the lake rises in winter and spring, and decreases towards autumn. However, since 2023, water drains of up to 15-20 meters have been observed along the shores. The water loss experienced in the last 2 years is equivalent to the annual water consumption of Sakarya.
THE WATER RESOURCES IN THE LAKE ARE UNDER SERIOUS PRESSURE Prof. Dr. Asude Ateş, a faculty member of the Environmental Engineering Department at Sakarya University (SAÜ), stated that the water resources in the lake are under serious pressure due to decreasing rainfall, increasing temperatures, rising evaporation, and usage in drinking water, industry, and agriculture. Reminding that Lake Sapanca is a vital drinking water source for Sakarya and Kocaeli, Ateş said, "We have a lake that needs to be very well protected worldwide. There is approximately 185 hectometers of water budget here. About 67.5 hectometers of this is used by Sakarya, and 30 hectometers by Kocaeli. In other words, approximately 100 hectometers of this budget is used as a drinking water source. When we talk about issues such as lack of rainfall and improper use of other resources, unfortunately, very urgent measures need to be taken to protect the ecosystem here." Ateş also emphasized the need to pay attention to pollution caused by traffic, as the E5 highway passes to the north of the lake and the TEM highway and railway pass to the south.
"THIS LAKE IS FED FROM THE BOTTOM, THEREFORE GROUNDWATER IS VERY IMPORTANT" Pointing out that there is a significant recession in the lake despite being winter, Ateş stated, "According to today's data, our critical point is 28.54 meters. Our critical value is 29.4, and we expect this value to always be above 30 meters. Unfortunately, we have experienced the driest season in the last 65 years. As a result, we have reached these values due to the decrease in rainfall and the increase in evaporation."
"DRINKING WATER POTENTIAL SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED" Ateş emphasized that in situations where the water level reaches a critical threshold, the drinking water potential should be prioritized, and other usage areas such as industry and tourism should be pushed to the background, stating that it is important to guide farmers towards efficient methods such as drip irrigation instead of flood irrigation in agricultural irrigation.
Reminding that the expected snowfall did not occur last year, Ateş said, "The main role in the water regime is played by snowfall. Since the release of snow occurs over a much longer period, it becomes important to feed the lake. You see an area of approximately 47 square kilometers as a water mass in Lake Sapanca. The basin is approximately 300 square kilometers. When we talk about the basin, it is necessary to approach it in a very holistic manner. There are fundamentally 8 streams that feed this area, and this lake is fed from the bottom, so groundwater is very important." In recent years, with the increase in tourism facilities, water consumption has also risen. Although Ateş noted that the facilities in the region use well water, this does not mean that they do not use Lake Sapanca.
"THE FIRST THING TO CONSIDER IS THE PROPER DISTRIBUTION OF THE WATER BUDGET" Ateş pointed out that the water budget also includes the water resources necessary for the continuity of the living ecosystem in the lake, stating, "For the life here to continue, a maximum of 110-120 hectometers of usage is required. If you say 100 is the drinking water budget, then questions arise about how the extraction amounts of other resources should be. Perhaps one of the first things to be considered in a short time is the more accurate and effective distribution of the water budget here." Ateş noted that more radical decisions and increased sanctions in areas other than drinking water could be beneficial for the protection of the lake, recommending that the water budget of the lake, which has shores in different provinces, be clarified and a strategic plan be prepared until the lake recovers.
Ateş stated that the pressure created by the supply of drinking water on the lake can be reduced by turning to alternative water sources, and added: "Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality has a project related to the Ballıkaya Dam. This project is currently in the process of tendering for the network pipes. We have found a very good alternative water source, but we need at least 2 years for this to reach this lake or to reduce the pressure here. Therefore, we must protect this precious source very carefully for 2 years. Because there is no return from this. If we enter the issue of loss, we are currently at a critical threshold. If that is overlooked, unfortunately, lake ecosystems are not easily reversible ecosystems." Emphasizing that water management is important not only through systems but also in terms of individual uses, Ateş concluded by stating that water will be a very strategic resource over the next 100 years and that it needs to be managed well.