Scientists investigate landslide that birthed Trabzon’s iconic Uzungöl

TRABZON

The geological origins of Uzungöl, one of Türkiye’s most iconic nature destinations, are being placed under scientific scrutiny as researchers seek to unravel how the famed lake was formed centuries ago and whether similar risks persist today.

Located in the Çaykara district of Trabzon in the Eastern Black Sea region, Uzungöl attracts hundred of thousands of domestic and international visitors each year with its picture-perfect scenery, wooden architecture and year-round natural beauty.

Widely believed to have emerged in the 17th century, the lake is thought to have formed when a massive landslide from the slopes above the former village of Şerah blocked the Haldizen Stream, creating a natural dam and, eventually, the lake.

While this narrative has long been accepted, the precise conditions under which the landslide occurred, including its geological processes, triggering factors and long-term implications, have remained largely unexplored. A new scientific project aims to change that.

The initiative is being jointly carried out by Karadeniz Technical University’s Landslide Research and Application Center (UYGAR) and the Trabzon provincial directorate of Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

Through detailed geological, geophysical and geomorphological analyses, researchers will reconstruct the formation mechanism of Uzungöl and assess whether similar landslide hazards would reemerge, particularly in the context of climate change.

The findings are expected to also contribute to preventative strategies against potential natural disasters in the region.

Providing information on the ongoing studies, Hakan Ersoy, a board member of the research center, highlighted that Uzungöl does not currently face a threat comparable to the landslide that originally created it.

“Today, some limited landslide-related activity can be observed in higher elevations, but there is no major danger,” he said.

Ersoy also noted that localized issues such as flooding may occur due to heavy rainfall or snowmelt.

“By understanding how Uzungöl was formed, we aim to better anticipate and prevent large-scale events that could arise in the future,” he added.