Parliament members inspect drought-hit Aegean lake

MUĞLA

In a bid to address escalating environmental concerns, members of the Turkish parliamentary petition committee have visited the Aegean cities of Muğla and Aydın to investigate the mounting pollution and water depletion threatening Bafa Lake, the region’s largest lake.

Located on the borders of Muğla's Milas district and Aydın's Söke district, the lake is home to thousands of birds, including flamingos, and 325 diverse plant species.

However, this lake of great ecological significance has been battling major environmental problems, resulting in damaging outcomes such as loss of biodiversity and extreme pollution.

As the lake’s water levels continue to recede, several fishing boats have been left stranded along the shore, while an unpleasant stench has begun to permeate the area, exacerbating the pollution crisis at Bafa Lake.

In response to the worsening environmental decline, parliamentary officials took swift action, traveling to the lake to investigate the critical ecological changes taking place.

After examining Bafa Lake and its surroundings, the authorities attended a briefing with the administrators of relevant institutions to gain their perspective on the matter.

Sunay Karamık, the president of the commission, highlighted that they opted to examine the situation on-site after receiving a petition on the lake’s current situation.

This petition asserted that the lake is contaminated by agricultural pesticides and waste from major animal farms located on nearby agricultural lands.

The petition further asserts that the lake's natural balance has been disrupted, as it has not been replenished with water during the summer months, from the start to the end of the cotton growing season.

The petition also highlights that trash dumped into the stream beds surrounding the area is carried into Bafa through rainfall, as local communities and infrastructure lack designated waste disposal facilities, the petition said.

Speaking before the briefing, Muğla Governor İdris Akbıyık called for the lake's conservation, stressing the region's critical cultural and tourism value.

“We had a brainstorming meeting with the appropriate organizations. This region concerns various ministries. They also conducted research and plans of action,” he said.

Numerous lakes in Türkiye are facing grave issues, including withdrawal of water, pollution, low water levels and oxygen deficiency.

The eastern Anatolian region’s Van lake, considered the world’s largest soda lake, is experiencing a sharp decline in water levels, driven by prolonged droughts linked to climate change and global warming.

Photographs taken in recent years have revealed a recession of water levels, which experts say will continue rapidly in the absence of sufficient precipitation.