23.07.2025 17:44
In the last 25-30 years in Afyonkarahisar, drought and excessive groundwater extraction due to global climate change have significantly lowered water levels in Bolvadin and its surroundings. It has been scientifically proven that the water withdrawal in Lake Eber, where the risk of drying up has emerged, has caused Bolvadin to sink by 1 meter.
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Dr. Süleyman Gücek, a faculty member from Afyon Kocatepe University, made a written statement regarding the geological consequences of the drought experienced in Eber Lake.
"BOLVADIN IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE"
In a statement made on his social media account, Gücek emphasized the magnitude of the danger, saying: "Eber Lake, which has frequently come to the public's attention recently, is an important issue not only ecologically but also geotechnically. The area surrounding Eber Lake, located southeast of the Bolvadin city center, is of critical importance for the Bolvadin district in terms of both its natural structure and ground behavior.
"WATER LEVEL HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY"
It has been determined in academic studies that the surface deformations observed on the Bolvadin Fault have continued to increase following the Sultandağı and Çay earthquakes (Mw: 6.0 and 6.3) that occurred on February 3, 2002, in Afyonkarahisar. One of the main reasons for these deformations is the significant decrease in the groundwater level in the region. In the last 25-30 years, drought and excessive groundwater extraction due to global climate change have led to a significant drop in water levels around Bolvadin. This situation has caused significant geotechnical effects, especially on the clayey alluvial deposits commonly found in the basin.
"THE AMOUNT OF SUBSIDENCE IN THE DISTRICT HAS EXCEEDED 1 METER"
As a result of the drop in water levels, linear surface cracks and vertical deformations caused by shrinkage have occurred in these grounds, and it has been observed that these deformations have intensified over time. It has been determined that the amount of subsidence in some areas of the southeast blocks extending towards Eber Lake has exceeded 1 meter. Geotechnical modeling created based on field observations and drilling data conducted by me in June of last year shows that the decrease in groundwater levels continues to trigger ground deformations in the region."
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