The prolonged drought gripping Turkey has left deep scars on the Konya region. In 2025, multiple lakes across Konya have run dry, threatening ecosystems, local economies, and agricultural livelihoods. Authorities are beginning to respond-but the window for action is narrowing.

Lakes That Have Disappeared

  • In Cihanbeyli district, the Tersakan and Bolluk lakes have dried up entirely, leaving nothing but cracked earth and salt crust behind.
  • In Ilgın, the once-33 km² Çavuşçu Lake has succumbed to drought and overuse. The lake that once sustained fishing, bird migrations, and rural life is now just dry land.

Reports show that across the larger Konya Plain, barriers, ponds, and smaller reservoirs have also dropped to critical levels.

An article comparing archival photos notes that Beyşehir Lake has dramatically shrunk over the past 44 years. Citizens warn: "Beyşehir is melting before our eyes."

Scientists and local observers attribute the decline to a combination of climate change, decreasing rainfall, rising temperatures, and unregulated agricultural water extraction.

Prof. Dr. Fetullah Arık (Geology, Konya Technical University) warns that groundwater tables have dropped by tens of meters, making it harder to supply wells and stabilize lake levels. The Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry has placed eight lakes, including Beyşehir, under the alarm list and pledged to develop action plans to combat lake drying. A governmental draft for Beyşehir Lake aims to manage water resources via measures such as:

  • Modernizing irrigation systems
  • Controlling groundwater over-use
  • Transferring surplus water between basins
  • Reusing treated wastewater and reducing losses in drinking water systems

The Konya Basin Drought Management Plan establishes a structural framework for manag- ing lake basins (such as the "Konya Lake Basin" and "Tuz Gölü Basin") with sustainable use in mind. In a spotlight move, the Minister of Environment & Urbanization, Murat Kurum, announced that Meke Crater Lake will be revived using treated wastewater in cooperation with local authorities.