The drought in Turkey has caused the water level in Lake Van to drop, revealing ancient underwater rock formations called "fairy chimneys." Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey and is fed by streams from nearby mountains. It is a type of lake called an "endorheic" lake, which does not have an outlet and does not drain into any other body of water.
Droughts in Turkey have become more frequent and severe in recent years due to climate change, and Lake Van has been particularly affected. In September, the lake's water levels were 13 feet lower than 30 years ago, according to the Daily Sabah. The region has experienced its driest conditions in the past two years.
As the water level in Lake Van continues to drop due to the drought, ancient rock formations called "fairy chimneys" or microbialites are being revealed. These formations, usually underwater, can now be seen on the banks of the lake in the village of Incekaya in northern Turkey. The lake is known for these formations, many of which are over 100 feet tall and may be as old as 800,000 years. They were formed by ancient volcanic eruptions, which caused lava to flow into the rock and create these vertical structures.
Exposing Fairy Chimneys
The "fairy chimneys" now visible on Lake Van's surface resemble large coral reefs. While they are interesting, their appearance also highlights the growing threat of drought in the region. A resident told the Hürriyet Daily News in Turkey that Lake Van has also been affected by the drought in our country. The microbialites were previously at the bottom of the water, but now they are exposed because of the low water levels."
Unfortunately, the drought has caused the fairy chimneys to be revealed. These formations are a valuable heritage for the region. If more of them are revealed due to the ongoing drought, they could be at risk of disappearing because a lack of water can cause them to deteriorate and crumble.
As the drought continues, weather patterns, including rainfall, are becoming less predictable, which means that the streams that feed into Lake Van will not be able to supply as much water. In September, Professor Necmettin Elmastaş from Bitlis Eren University in Turkey told the Daily Sabah that the water levels in Lake Van used to fluctuate over time, but in the past couple of years, we have seen a significant drop.
A view of microbialites in Lake Van that emerged from the bottom due to the decline in water levels in Van, eastern Türkiye,
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Turkish Drought
The decline in water levels in Lake Van is being caused by both less precipitation and more evaporation, but excessive use of underground water is also a factor. Thousands of wells are being drilled to extract it in the region, and some of the water sources that feed the lake have almost dried up.
According to the IPCC, there is medium confidence that southern Europe, including Turkey, has experienced an increase in the intensity and duration of droughts since the 1950s. In recent decades, drought intensity has significantly increased in the autumn, particularly in inland areas of Turkey, while there has been no significant increase in drought intensity in the spring, summer, and winter.
Turkey is frequently exposed to drought hazards, and although no comprehensive spatial and temporal analysis of these hazards has been completed, past droughts have caused the loss of crops and animals and forced farmers to migrate. The drought in 1876, for example, resulted in the loss of over 200,000 people due to famine and disease epidemics.
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