Akşehir Lake in Turkey refills partially after years of drought

Akşehir Lake, a 350‑km² basin in Konya province, Turkey, which had become a barren plain after years of insufficient rain, now has water covering about one‑quarter of its surface, with depth reaching up to one metre in places. The replenishment follows unusually heavy rainfall this season—roughly twice the regional norm—and meltwater from the Sultan Mountains. Local officials said the water level is now 1‑2 m, the first rise of this magnitude in two decades. Former mayor Hüseyin Cavit Kılınç noted the lake had not filled like this for 20 years. Residents such as 66‑year‑old Şenol Çelik expressed happiness that the lake is “coming back to life.” Wildlife has responded, with previously absent wild geese and endemic bird species returning to nest. The development has been closely observed from a monitoring tower, and former locals have returned to watch the changes.