Sapanca Lake water decline alarms shoreline business owners

SAKARYA

Falling water levels in Sapanca Lake, one of the Marmara region’s key freshwater sources, are raising serious concerns among shoreline businesses in the northwestern province of Sakarya, as retreating waters disrupt both daily life and local tourism.

The lake’s water level has dropped to 28.48 meters, its lowest point in recent years, due to a combination of insufficient rainfall, climate change, excessive and unregulated use and other environmental pressures.

This drastic retreat has left wide stretches of exposed shoreline, with docks standing over dry ground and boats stranded on land.

Such a visible impact has unsettled residents across the province, particularly those whose livelihoods depend on the lake.

Local shop owner Hüseyin Çavuşoğlu, who runs a souvenir store along the Sapanca shoreline, said he has never witnessed water loss on this scale.

“This affects everyone. Pollution becomes visible along the shore, and the natural beauty disappears,” Çavuşoğlu said.

He stressed that heavy water extraction has weakened the lake’s ability to replenish itself.

Restaurant operator Emre Çetin echoed the concerns, saying the lake has receded further than ever before in his memory. “Water used to reach our ankles and flood our businesses,” he said.