Akşehir Lake in Turkey refills to 1.5 m depth after drought

Akşehir Lake, which had nearly disappeared due to prolonged drought and unsustainable irrigation in the Konya‑Afyonkarahisar border region, has begun to hold water again after unusually heavy rainfall. The lake’s water level reached about 1.5 metres, covering roughly one‑third of its historic surface area.

Akşehir deputy mayor Cevat Nuri Bozoğlu said this year's precipitation was the best in the last 30 years, but warned that the shallow basin causes rapid evaporation and the level may only be maintained for a limited period. He called for deepening the lake’s flat bottom to create a more permanent reservoir and improve local micro‑climate benefits for agriculture.

Local residents expressed optimism, noting the return of fish and birds, while the shift of the State Water Works regional office from Afyon to Konya was cited as helping restore inflowing streams.