The water level in Lake Iznik has dropped to a critical level.

The approximately 300 square kilometer Lake İznik, which is the largest natural lake in the Marmara Region and the fifth largest in Turkey, has seen a decline in water levels in recent years. The water withdrawal in the lake, which is also used for agricultural irrigation, has reached up to 150 meters in some areas. Small islands caused by drought have formed around the lake, where some fishing boats have run aground.

The Orhangazi Pier, where the passenger ship named "Akşemseddin" operated by the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality docked between 2015-2018, is now located meters away from the water. The photos taken during the period when the ship was in service and the current photos of the pier reveal the changes in water levels.

With the water withdrawal, a large portion of the submerged basilica ruins, determined to have been built about 1600 years ago in honor of Saint Neophytos, which was located 1.5-2 meters deep and 20 meters off the shore in 2014, has remained above the water level. The remains, which could be identified from aerial shots when discovered, can now be easily seen from the shore as they have merged with the coastline over the past 10 years.

"THERE HAS BEEN MORE WITHDRAWAL THIS YEAR"

Dinçer Dimrit, the President of the Orhangazi Agricultural Chamber, told AA correspondent that Lake İznik is "losing blood" every day. Dimrit stated that they submitted a report regarding the withdrawal in the lake to the relevant institutions and organizations, and added: "This lake belongs to all of us. We must protect this lake together. A value of ours is being withdrawn. There has been a larger withdrawal this year. The area where the water is has turned into pasture. There used to be a road by the lake when I was a child, and the water would reach there. From what we can see, there is about a 150-meter withdrawal from there. As a solution proposal, we can prevent wild irrigation. Factories should not be supplied with water from here. In addition, our water has reached these levels due to drought and evaporation."

FISHING HAS ALSO BEEN AFFECTED

Zelkif Bektaş, the President of the Orhangazi Fisheries Cooperative, also expressed that he has lived in the region for 60 years. Comparing the current state of the lake with that of the past, Bektaş said, "I have been intertwined with Lake İznik since I was 11 years old; I have never seen the water withdraw this much. Six years ago, a large ship was brought here from the sea. Just think, we are standing where that ship is docked right now; there is no water left."